 |
| Feb. 3, 2017 Issue #10 Editor's NoteFor a PDF copy of the newsletter please visit the League's website. For more updates from the League, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.Take Action to Support Legislation that Funds Affordable HousingCities Urged to Send Letters on SB 2 and SB 3Two pending Senate bills create much-needed funds for affordable housing and cities are encouraged to submit support letters in advance of committee hearings in early March.Action Item, Senate, Assembly, Legislation, Housing, Affordable Housing Register Today for the Municipal Law SymposiumMarch 3 Conference at UC Irvine Focuses on HousingRegistration is now open for the Municipal Law Symposium, 2017: The Year of Housing? Affordable Housing and Beyond. Scheduled for March 3 at the UC Irvine School of Law, the one-day event will explore the legal challenges facing housing strategies, including lessons from other states and the status of recently adopted and potential state legislation to come. The symposium is co-sponsored by the Municipal Law Institute of the League of California Cities®.Legal Updates, Meetings and Events Two Park Bond Proposals Introduced, AB 18 Hearing Next WeekTwo measures propose park bonds for the June 2018 ballot. Voters passed Proposition 40, the last true park bond, 15 years ago and since then parks have suffered through the Great Recession as cities struggled to shore up shrinking budgets. Many parks departments have not recovered and are still weighed down by deferred maintenance. Assembly Member Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella) and Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) proposed new funding for parks to address this need. Although there are differences between the measures, both authors have indicated their willingness to work together.Assembly, Senate, Legislation, Parks and Recereation Department of Toxic Substances Control Proposes Stricter Toxicity and Site Cleanup RegulationsLeague Submits Comments on Need for Site-Specific Flexibility for Environmental Remediation ProjectsThe Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has issued a pre-draft of its proposed regulations to strengthen criteria for acceptable human health risk-based screening levels. DTSC is seeking to codify the authority to apply the strictest of three available criteria to determine the cleanup requirements for hazardous waste sites. The agency wants to have the discretion to ensure that it can apply the strictest environmental standards. However, these regulations may cause significant issues for cities that seek to rehabilitate and develop contaminated sites. The League has submitted comments outlining the concern that the proposed regulations will reduce the flexibility of cities to redevelop brownfield sites.Brownfields, Redevelopment, Environmental Quality Upcoming Legislative Hearings of Interest to CitiesThe Legislature will host a number of oversight and informational hearings on a variety of policy areas of interest to cities in the coming weeks. After the fast-approaching Feb. 17 bill introduction deadline, expect the number of legislative hearings to ramp up.Legislative Hearings, Meetings and Events, Legislation California City Solutions: Palmdale Partners with Youth Build Students to Develop Community HousingThis story is part of an ongoing series featuring Helen Putnam Award entries. The 2016 entries are available on the League’s website as a resource for cities in a searchable database called California City Solutions. Palmdale Dream Center was submitted in 2016 for the Housing Programs and Innovations award category.CA City Solutions, Helen Putnam, Housing, Homelessness ILG to Host Health and Prosperity Roundtables in the Central ValleyLocal and regional government representatives, business leaders and community organization members are invited to connect with others interested in the health and prosperity of San Joaquin Valley communities at two February events.Institute for Local Government |
| 1400 K Street ■ Sacramento, CA 95814 ■ (916) 658-8200 You can unsubscribe here: |