The Almost Daily Briefing
Published news articles from local, regional, and national media on topics of interest to the #LoveLafayette Community
LOCAL NEWS
Lamorinda Hidden Venue Brings Big Music Surprises - The 1,000-capacity outdoor venue will host 75–100 concerts annually, ranging from rock and jazz to bluegrass and Latin music, offering audiences an intimate yet festival-quality experience amid the scenic Berkeley Hills. (Patch)
After decades of service to the public, Contra Costa County fire chief to retire - A fire exploration program at 14 sparked a lifelong career for Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Fire Chief Lewis Broschard. Decades later, he is stepping down from years of service to the public. (East Bay Times)
OTHER NEWS
Are boomers the real iPad babies? Research shows social media use is growing among people 65 and older — from 11 percent in 2010 to 45 percent in 2021 — and some of their children and grandchildren are worried they’re slipping quietly into screen addiction. (Washington Post)
LOCAL HAPPENINGS
Creeks Committee
Parks, Trails & Recreation Commission
Design Review Commission Objective Design Standards Working Group - cancelled
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
Is Mountain View on track to add 11K homes by 2031? Developers have submitted plans to build more than 10,000 homes in Mountain View, but only a small fraction of those have broken ground, as financial headwinds are making it difficult to start construction. (San Jose Spotlight)
Novato reports ‘slow year’ for new housing permits (Marin Independent Journal)
They Want to Rebuild. Can They Afford to Prevent the Next Fire, Too? - Palisades fire victims want to raise money for disaster hardening. Their idea could be a model — if it can get past L.A.’s most vexing housing problems. (New York Times)
California needs 1 million more affordable homes – California has just 25 available and affordable rental homes for every 100 households that are deemed “extremely low income” (meaning they make 30% or less of the area’s median income). (Cal Matters)
Could transit agency-owned land help solve California's housing problem? Nearly 3,000 parcels of transit agency-owned land in California hold potential for new housing development, according to a new analysis by nonprofit housing advocacy group Enterprise Community Partners. (Smart Cities Dive)
Portland has a wonky secret to building cheaper houses. Other cities are copying. - Portland legalized fourplexes, tiny houses and backyard homes and then sorted out how to actually get them built. (Washington Post)
Portland Affordable Condo Project Offers a Path to Homeownership, but is it a Long-term Solution? The project's affordability currently rests on temporary subsidies and market goodwill. For tenants who can’t buy—and future buyers looking for affordability—the risks are significant. (Planetizen)
Trump Pushes To Deregulate Housing Development With Executive Orders - The first policy directive calls on federal agencies to reduce regulatory burdens that the White House says are holding back development, including rules around energy efficiency and permitting. The second executive order aims to make it easier for community banks and other small lenders to underwrite more mortgages. (BisNow.com)
San Francisco Moves to Expand Curbside Electric Vehicle Charging - San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie on Tuesday introduced legislation that would create a permitting pathway to expand the city’s curbside electric vehicle charging program. (KQED)
Traffic Fatalities are Going Down. What Happens Next Matters. - Amidst a spate of rare good news, cities are pulling investments from their Vision Zero commitments. They’re getting it all wrong. (Planetizen)
MIXTAPE
Voters will decide on a new Oakland parcel tax in June
Contra Costa County fire officials urge preparedness amid heat wave
US home insurance prices set to keep rising with severe weather
Housing market squeeze: The income needed to purchase a typical U.S. home is up 79% since 2020
MEANWHILE IN ANOTHER LAFAYETTE
LaFayette Comprehensive Plan Meeting develops roadmap; Group is reviewing downtown goals and completing a goal implementation exercise.
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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.
