Latest News
The Almost Daily Briefing, April 7, 2026
The Almost Daily Briefing
Published news articles from local, regional, and national media on topics of interest to the #LoveLafayette Community
LOCAL NEWS
Ban on gas-powered leaf blowers takes effect in Walnut Creek - As of April 1, people found using gas powered leaf blowers could be fined $100 for their first infraction, $200 for the second and $500 for each following infraction. (Mercury News)
Contra Costa County gets $600K settlement in Walgreens case - California prosecutors say a routine set of inspections exposed a troubling pattern inside Walgreens drug stores—charging customers too much and leaving expired products on shelves. (MSN)
If the 1906 San Francisco earthquake struck today, these cities would get no advance warning (San Francisco Chronicle)
Bay Area, California job markets far stronger than first thought - The revisions arrive on the heels of an EDD report on April 3 that showed the Bay Area and California both experienced strong job gains in January. (East Bay Times)
Who controls your home insurance? A high-stakes California race could decide - The insurance commissioner leads the state agency that approves rate hikes for home and auto plans, investigates complaints about providers and enforces consumer protections. While many voters may be unfamiliar with the position, it has become an increasingly critical role as destructive blazes have upended the state’s home insurance market. (East Bay Times)
Power shutoffs in Colorado bring protection - and problems - during fire risk - A Public Safety Power Shutoff, or PSPS, is a deliberate last-resort tool that is now being increasingly deployed along the Front Range, which perennially has high wind gusts. The approach has been sanctioned by Colorado’s energy regulators, and power companies and their allies have argued that they are a necessary strategy, given dry conditions and high winds, which could turn a spark into a deadly event. Critics have countered that utilities should instead focus on making their infrastructure resilient to extreme weather, instead of turning off people’s power, with its grave repercussions for residents and businesses. (The Denver Gazette)
LOCAL HAPPENINGS
Parks, Trails & Recreation Commission - Trails Subcommittee
Parks, Trails & Recreation Commission
Environmental Task Force - cancelled
Lafayette Planning Applications Received
Major Development Projects Map
Lafayette Community Information & Emergency Radio AM 1670
Shop, Dine & Gather in Lafayette
HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION AND CITY PLANNING
California's Half Moon Bay says coastal regulations hinder housing development - The Northern California town of Half Moon Bay says it is having difficulty meeting the state's requirements for new housing due in part to its location entirely within the California Coastal Commission's jurisdiction. (Planetizen) related:
Bay Area town says location limits housing. Newsom says build or get sued. - … the city enumerated the various challenges in its path to securing housing, including its rare geographical position. Half Moon Bay is entirely within the California Coastal Commission’s jurisdiction, which means, “All rezonings must be reviewed for consistency with the Coastal Act.” It’s also limited by Measure D, which was approved by voters in 1999. Measure D caps growth at 1%-1.5% annually. (SF Gate)
Oakland launches first-of-its-kind affordable housing project for teachers thanks to nonprofit (ABC7)
San Jose looks to make outdoor dining a permanent fixture - San Jose is exploring a plan to make outdoor dining permanent, six years after pandemic-era rules first opened sidewalks and parking spaces to restaurants and cafes. (East Bay Times)
California has 40,000 affordable housing units ready to break ground. One setback is holding them up - An estimated 39,880 affordable units across California are stuck in financial purgatory, according to a new report by Enterprise Community Partners, a national nonprofit that funds, consults and advocates for affordable housing. That’s 461 “shovel-ready developments” that, like the one on East Morris, are fully designed, legally green-lit and backed with a significant — but still insufficient — amount of money. (Cal Matters)
California HOA triumphs over ADU law - A Carlsbad condo-owner lost his legal battle to turn his garage into an apartment over the objections of his homeowners association. (Cal Matters)
Feds challenge New Jersey all-electric building code - The Trump administration has sued Morris Township over its 2022 ordinance banning builders from installing appliances or other infrastructure fueled by gas, oil, or propane in most new rental housing. (New Jersey Monitor)
Not All Malls Are Struggling - … as Gen Z embraces in-person shopping, a handful of real estate firms are, unexpectedly, winning big on a very specific type of mall […] Shopping malls, like so many sectors in the economy, are making a K-shaped recovery, with those that serve the highest end customers seeing a surprise resurgence. (New York Times)
Caltrain warns of system closure: After BART’s tentative plan to close 15 stations without more funding, Caltrain projects starker picture (San Mateo Daily Journal)
MIXTAPE
North Italia opens at Plaza Escuela in Downtown Walnut Creek
Northern California UFCW pension plan to receive $2.6 billion in federal relief
The Great Squeeze: Bay Area Residents Downsize and Adapt to Rising Costs
More Bay Area homes are selling above asking. Here’s where it happens the most
Rocklin spends millions to transform park into pickle ball haven
Many Orange County Cities Fail at Low Income Housing Development
High cost of living suppresses California population growth, UC Berkeley study finds
Californians Who Move Away Are Finding The Grass Really Is Greener, New UC Study Finds
New Jersey has more young adults living with parents than every other state except California
Alcatraz draws Trump’s attention again: President seeks $152M to rebuild, reopen SF Bay prison
MEANWHILE IN ANOTHER LAFAYETTE
Lafayette Weighs Water Park Tax - Lafayette city officials are set to discuss extending a local tax that funds a popular water park, as well as the possibility of implementing ranked-choice voting for the upcoming November election.
AND FINALLY…
Artemis II breaks Apollo 13’s distance record as humans travel farther from Earth than ever before
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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.
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