September 13, 2016   TRANSPORTATION / INFRASTRUCTURE ‘Unprecedented’ $200B in transportation funding nationwide; $13B locally (East Bay Times) Transportation infrastructure has reached crisis levels across the country — and perhaps nowhere is that more true than in the Bay Area, where voters in November’s election will be asked to contribute close to $14 billion to shore up the region’s aging public transit systems and improve roadways to relieve traffic congestion.   WATER / DROUGHT California is backsliding on water conservation. L.A. can't and won't follow suit (Los Angeles Times) Given this lenient "stress test," 343 of 411 (84%) of the largest water districts in the state concluded they had adequate water supplies for the next three years. Statewide, only 35 water districts decided to keep their conservation targets in place. Not surprisingly, the state’s conservation efforts are already backsliding. Urban water savings dropped significantly in July from last year’s mandatory program. Here in the Southland, the most glaring example of this new freedom to waste comes from Malibu-Topanga area residents, who use an average of 254 gallons of water per day — more than 8% higher than a year ago and more than five times higher than residents in Huntington Park, Paramount and East LA.   California considers new rules to allow direct consumption of treated sewer water (Southern California Public Radio) California is considering becoming the first state in the country to allow people to drink recycled sewer water. For years, the state has allowed this to go on indirectly, by permitting water utilities to put treated wastewater into reservoirs and groundwater, where it is diluted with other water sources. Now, the goal is to skip that step and and put the treated effluent straight into drinking water. A new report released by the State Water Resources Control Board last week outlines what needs to happen before drinking treated wastewater, also known as "direct potable reuse," becomes a reality. Here are some key takeaways from that report.   Too many California towns have arsenic in tap water, group says (Fresno Bee) An environmental group said Monday that 55,000 people statewide are at risk of drinking tap water contaminated with arsenic, and many of the communities are poor, mostly Latino towns in the San Joaquin Valley. The Environmental Integrity Project based in Washington, D.C., said required warnings to water customers fail to explain the dangers from arsenic exposure and need to be strengthened. A total of 95 water systems have average arsenic levels of more than 10 parts per billion, which is above the federal maximum contaminant level, the group said in its report. Arsenic is a cancer-causing chemical linked to other health problems   HOUSING Rent control spreading to Bay Area suburbs, to economists’ dismay (San Francisco Chronicle) The concept of rent control, once found mostly in large cities, is spreading to the Bay Area’s suburbs, even though virtually every economist thinks it’s a bad idea. Six Bay Area cities have measures on the November ballot that would protect existing tenants from the stratospheric rent increases that are a result of job growth far outstripping housing creation.   HOMELESSNESS / POVERTY Garcetti, other leaders launch campaign to support homeless bond measure (Hollywood Patch) Mayor Eric Garcetti, City Council members and representatives of labor, business and nonprofit groups officially launched a campaign Monday to convince Los Angeles voters to approve a $1.2 billion bond measure to pay for about 10,000 units of homeless housing over the next decade.   Long Beach city council session on homelessness to track progress, adapt approach to new challenges (Long Beach Post) Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia has called for a special city council session set for Tuesday, October 4 to address homelessness, his office announced today. The meeting will largely involve reviewing the city’s current state of homelessness and progress surrounding the city’s “5 key community strategies,” which were put into place in 2010. The mayor will also request council to evaluate the city’s 10-year plan for homelessness and see where the city is falling short, according to a release issued today.   Homeless man sues SDPD, alleges harassment (San Diego Union-Tribune) A homeless man in Pacific Beach has filed a federal lawsuit against the city of San Diego and one of its police officers, accusing officials of targeting him for arrest because he is black and has no fixed address.   MARIJUANA California marijuana measure: Will Proposition 64 turn the tide in the weed war? (Santa Cruz Sentinel) An organized and well-funded alliance is behind Proposition 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, with proponents outspending opponents 70-to-1 in an effort to turn the tide in the state’s war over weed. With nearly $18 million in backing thus far, the detailed 62-page ballot measure is a far cry from California’s last failed effort — 2010’s Proposition 19, a paltry four-page initiative that managed to anger both stoners and law enforcement officials.   California's history with recreational marijuana — and why this time may be different (Los Angeles Times) On Nov. 8, California voters will have the opportunity to legalize recreational use of marijuana. It won't be the first time. We've put together a timeline of the Golden State's history with cannabis, which stretches back more than a century to the Poison Act of 1907.   California voters support initiative to legalize recreational use of marijuana, poll finds (Los Angeles Times) Six years after a similar initiative was rejected, a clear majority of California voters supports a measure on the November ballot that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana in their state, according to a new USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll. Proposition 64, which would legalize personal use, is backed by 58% of California voters, and that favorable view extends across most lines of age, race, income and gender, according to the survey. CITY PLANNING / DEVELOPMENT Proposed Santa Cruz corridor development rules up for scrutiny (Santa Cruz Sentinel) After a year and a half of discussions, meetings and wrangling over how Santa Cruz should update its city development zoning codes, a first draft at the specifics is now being unveiled. On Tuesday afternoon, the Santa Cruz City Council will hear an update on the new zoning code work, particularly focused on four major traffic “corridors” in the city: Water Street, Mission Street, Soquel Avenue and Ocean Street. The issue has raised concerns from vocal Eastside residents and some Santa Cruz City Council candidates, who have questioned the need for increased housing and commercial density they feel has been disproportionately pushed to their side of town.   Cities along future Gold Line cross fingers for Measure M, go all in with related development (Pasadena Star News) City officials along Foothill Gold Line communities from Azusa to Montclair are not just hopeful for the success of the Los Angeles County Measure M half-cent sales tax ballot initiative, which would mean completion of the train line sooner rather than later, they’re banking on it. Anticipation for the Gold Line has been an economic catalyst for so-called “transit-oriented developments,” such as mixed-use projects incorporating apartments and retail space, that have already been built along the route.   Bill backed by Fairfield awaits Brown’s signature (Daily Republic) Legislation sponsored by the city – and awaiting Gov. Jerry Brown’s signature – allows cities and counties in California to create economic opportunities through the acquisition, sale or lease of properties and by boosting rehabilitation of commercial buildings through loans to owners or tenants.

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