The Almost Daily Briefing
Published news articles from local, regional, and national media on topics of interest to the #LoveLafayette Community
LOCAL NEWS
Key Decisions Tuesday At Special Moraga School District Board Meeting - The Moraga School District Governing Board will discuss a proposed $295-per-parcel annual education tax… (Patch)
OTHER NEWS
A proposal to exempt homeowners ages 60 and older from property taxes could cost local governments billions - The proposed measure, which was cleared for signature-gathering earlier this month, would exempt homeowners 60 years of age and older from paying property taxes if they have occupied their home as their principal residence for at least five years or lived in California for 10 years […] A new estimate from the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office found that Kumar’s exemption could trigger the loss of $12 billion to $20 billion annually in these key revenues across the state. (East Bay Times)
California approves $590M loan for BART, Muni, Caltrain, AC Transit (KTVU)
Proposed California home insurance laws would guarantee coverage for fire-safe homes - New legislation would require California home insurers to guarantee coverage for homeowners that take steps to reduce their wildfire risk and give policyholders at least six months notice before being dropped. (San Francisco Chronicle)
State bill would mandate insurance for homeowners who reduce wildfire risks - SB 1076, introduced by state Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Alhambra), would require insurers to offer and renew coverage for any home that meets wildfire-safety standards adopted by the insurance commissioner starting Jan. 1, 2028. (L.A. Times on MSN)
L.A. fire victims say state regulators ignored complaints about State Farm - A senior state insurance regulator was disciplined after criticizing State Farm’s ‘shoddy’ claims handling, raising concerns about retaliation against consumer advocates. (Los Angeles Times)
Gavin Newsom unveils mortgage relief plan over 1 year after LA wildfires — but victims say rebuilding still stalled by regulatory chaos - On Feb. 12, Newsom announced a major expansion of the state's CalAssist Mortgage Fund, increasing the maximum grant from $20,000 to $100,000 per household and extending coverage from three months of mortgage payments to 12. (Moneywise)
A federal judge ordered FEMA to restore BRIC funding in December. States say they’re still waiting - A coalition of 22 states and the District of Columbia filed a motion Tuesday asking the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts to enforce its December order prohibiting the Federal Emergency Management Agency from terminating the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program. (Smart Cities Dive)
LOCAL HAPPENINGS
Crime Prevention Commission
Public Art Committee - Special Meeting
Parks, Trails & Recreation Commission - Parks Subcommittee
Public Information Meeting - 2026 Road Paving Project
The Weekly Roundup
Lafayette Planning Applications Received
Major Development Projects Map
Lafayette Community Information & Emergency Radio AM 1670
Shop, Dine & Gather in Lafayette
Contact the City
HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION AND CITY PLANNING
First phase of massive housing project set to break ground at this East Bay BART station - Developers of Mandela Station expect to break ground in May on the first phase of the project, a 240-unit affordable apartment building on what is now a BART parking lot. (S.F. Chronicle)
S.F. closer to delaying controversial $300K sprinkler mandate for high-rise condos - A push to delay a controversial and expensive requirement to install fire sprinklers in pre-1974 residential buildings in San Francisco passed a major legislative hurdle Monday when a Board of Supervisors committee approved a five-year pause in the requirements. (S.F. Chronicle)
Boston is turning empty office buildings into 1,500 homes. Why can’t San Francisco? - Since Boston’s program launched in 2023 the city has received 22 applications to convert 1.25 million square feet of office space into 1,517 units. From the city’s Seaport and Back Bay to the South End and Financial District, developers are snapping up historic buildings — many of them brick-and-beam structures with wood floors and arched windows — and reinventing them as living spaces. (S.F. Chronicle)
Los Angeles Housing Crunch Deepens As City Misses State Targets By Tens Of Thousands - Los Angeles is falling well short of the housing numbers state officials expect for this decade, and the gap is getting harder to ignore. The city and county were handed ambitious targets that together add up to hundreds of thousands of new homes, yet construction is trailing by tens of thousands of units a year. (Hoodline)
Group names Alameda one of the country’s most bicycle-friendly cities (Mercury News)
MIXTAPE
Lafayette, Alamo bank robbery suspects linked to 3rd incident - CBS San Francisco
Bay Area refinery to pay one of the largest penalties ever issued by regional air regulators
Oakland Mayor, City Council Offer ‘Radically Different’ Plans for Reducing Homelessness
LA County cleans up permit dashboard tracking wildfire rebuilding
MEANWHILE IN ANOTHER LAFAYETTE
City officials are in the early stages of planning an expansion and renovation of the late 19th century building in Old Town, aiming to modernize the space while preserving its historic character of the Arapaho Center Theater.
AND FINALLY…
Super Bowl gave San Jose and Santa Clara major economic boost
__________________
The Almost Daily Briefing (ADB) is an aggregation of links to news articles from local and regional newspapers, magazines, websites, and other news sources. Its purpose is to alert readers to current issues and affairs that may impact Lafayette. The ADB does not promote, favor, disfavor, support, reject, or endorse any position, candidate, campaign, or proposition, and nothing about the ADB, including the selection, presentation, arrangement, or content of the links presented should be construed as an advocacy position.
At times, the ADB features articles from sites that limit access for nonsubscribers. The Contra Costa Library offers access to multiple newspapers online for all cardholders, including the Los Angeles Times (via the ProQuest E-Library digital resource) and the New York Times Digital. Visit the library’s website to learn how to get a library card or access digital services.
If you have questions about the ADB, please contact the City of Lafayette's Communications Analyst, Suzanne Iarla, at siarla@ci.lafayette.ca.us. You can subscribe to the ADB and learn more about Lafayette’s publications and social media sites here.
