By Richard Davis, AICP, October 12, 2026
Across California, public agencies and communities are confronting the intersection of housing affordability, infrastructure demand and climate resilience. New legislation will allow VTA employees to receive preference for affordable homes developed on transit agency land, supporting workforce retention and shorter commutes. At the same time, a San Francisco Chronicle investigation raises concerns that investors can use California’s welfare property-tax exemption without meaningfully lowering rents. Bay Area cities are also weighing how to manage the rapid growth of energy- and water-intensive data centers, with San Francisco and Oakland pursuing temporary pauses while Santa Clara reviews the impacts and benefits of an industry that contributes substantial local revenue. On the North Coast, researchers preparing California’s Fifth Climate Assessment are examining how changing conditions could affect forests, rivers, wildlife, infrastructure and regional culture—and what communities can do to adapt.
New California legislation allows VTA employees to receive preference for affordable housing built on agency-owned land. The initiative could shorten commutes, reduce driver fatigue, and help VTA retain workers in high-cost Santa Clara County.
Published by: San Jose Spotlight
A California property-tax exemption intended to support affordable housing is increasingly benefiting real estate investors. A Chronicle investigation examines how owners can receive substantial tax savings while charging rents at or near market rates.
Published by: San Francisco Chronicle [paywall]
S.F., Oakland vote to temporarily ban new data centers. Another city is taking a different path [paywall]
San Francisco and Oakland are pausing new data center approvals amid concerns about energy use, water consumption, and environmental impacts. Meanwhile, Santa Clara—already home to dozens of data centers—is reviewing its policies while taking a different approach to the industry’s growth.
Published by: San Francisco Chronicle [paywall]
How Will Climate Change Affect the North Coast? (transcript of radio program)
Authors of California’s forthcoming Fifth Climate Assessment discuss how climate change could affect the North Coast’s rivers, forests, wildlife, infrastructure, and communities—and how the region can prepare for the changes ahead.
Published by: Lost Coast Outpost