Once every eight years, housing regulators in California issue local municipalities an obligatory task: construct a detailed proposal to build new residential properties.
The administration of Gov. Gavin Newsom sets specific goals for local governments across four separate tiers of affordability. Combined, these targets represent state officials’ projections of how many homes are required to absorb projected population growth while addressing a multi-decade shortage of affordable places to live.
Because these quotas are distributed on a rolling schedule, a significant portion of California—including the whole of Southern California—passed its midway milestone this summer.
So how are these local jurisdictions faring when evaluated halfway through the process? The results for California are far from ideal. Evaluated on an academic grading scale, municipalities across the state would receive predominantly low marks.
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The state’s total planning target adds up to nearly 2.5 million units over eight years, a reduction of the even more ambitious 3.5 million target Newsom set for his administration during his 2017 election (Heather Diehl/Getty Images)
Data provided by local governments to the state housing department reveals that under a third of cities and counties are currently on pace to authorize enough “above moderate” units, the standard designation for market-rate housing.
The progress report for more affordable types of housing is even bleaker. Only 32 jurisdictions — less than 6% — are on track to hit their “very low” targets. That refers to housing within financial reach of anyone earning less than half the typical local income.
After years of nudging, political trolling and litigating, most cities and counties now have state-approved plans in place. But as the production numbers show, it’s one thing to plan and another to build. Almost nowhere in the state is actually seeing the new construction necessary “to meet the housing needs of all Californians,” as housing regulators have described these targets.
Only five jurisdictions in the entire state are permitting at a pace to hit all four income targets. Four are the lightly populated unincorporated bits of small, mostly rural counties: Plumas, Napa, Yolo and Mono. The fifth is Placerville, a town of roughly 11,000 people in the Sierra foothills east of Sacramento.
To be “on track,” a city or county needs to issue permits at a clip that, if sustained, would allow it to hit its state targets by the end of its planning cycle. State housing regulators told the city of Irvine in Orange County, for example, to plan for 8,671 market-rate units by 2030. Now halfway there, the city has issued more than 6,000, making it one of the minority of cities to be on pace to reach its target for above-moderate housing.
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But for more affordable digs, Irvine, like most California cities, is far behind. The city has permitted just 9% of the very low-income housing needed to reach its target by the end of the decade. For the next most affordable category, which refers to units priced for those earning up to 80% of the regional median, it’s at a mere 3%.
What’s the housing hold up?
For anyone who has been monitoring the pace of new residential development in California over the last half century, the disconnect between housing planned and housing permitted won’t come as a surprise. The state’s total planning target adds up to nearly 2.5 million units over eight years, a reduction of the even more ambitious 3.5 million target Newsom set for his administration during his 2017 election. That 2.5 million figure works out to 312,500 new homes per year. Even during the state’s boomingest boom years in the early 1960s and mid-1980s, construction figures never reached such lofty heights.
This decade, despite a blizzard of state legislation and policy changes aimed at boosting the construction of new homes, the number of new homes built annually is still just north of 100,000.
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Critics of the state’s planning process have long stressed that California’s targets are unrealistic and that local governments can only do so much.
“Cities cannot require developers to develop and cities don’t build housing,” said Jason Rhine, a lobbyist with the League of California Cities. You can lead a developer to a rezoned plot of land, in other words, but you can’t make them build.
Critics of the state’s planning process have long stressed that California’s targets are unrealistic and that local governments can only do so much (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Pro-development advocates counter that the uninspiring production numbers suggest that cities still aren’t doing enough to welcome more housing.
“Cities can argue that they don’t directly control production, but they do control fees, zoning and permitting,” said Laura Foote, executive director of YIMBY Action. The housing needs allocation process “is only as good as we have the political will to actually hold cities accountable.”
Foote directed some of the blame at state housing regulators for failing to compel cities to adopt more development-friendly policies.
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In a written statement, housing department spokesperson Jennifer Hanson said regulators are “actively monitoring and enforcing” the commitments each jurisdiction has made in its housing plans. She also pointed to a couple of recent laws exempting many urban housing developments from environmental litigation and requiring local governments to allow for taller buildings near major public transportation stops. Both have already been used to “advance approved projects representing thousands of proposed homes,” she said.
There are many reasons that developers may or may not choose to build in a particular location. Some are in the power of local and state governments, like zoning and building codes, permitting timelines and fees. But many are not, said Hanson.
“Whether a project moves forward depends on interest rates, construction and land costs, access to capital, insurance and expected rents or sale prices,” she said.
Affordable housing construction faces an additional hurdle: A lack of public money. With very few exceptions, building homes that are affordable to those making below average incomes in California requires public subsidies, philanthropic capital or other lenders and investors willing to take a loss. Taxpayer support provided by the state has been in short supply after a voter-approved bond from 2018 that provided funding for California’s signature affordable development subsidy ran dry. That explains why the affordable production numbers are so much lower.
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Affordable developers and other housing advocates are hoping voters will back an $11.25 billion state bond in November to replenish the coffers (Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty Images)
Affordable developers and other housing advocates are hoping voters will back an $11.25 billion state bond in November to replenish the coffers.
Meanwhile, “moderate” income housing is especially tough to build, facing the financial worst of both worlds. It often doesn’t qualify for affordable subsidy programs that prioritize projects serving people further down the income ladder. But rents affordable to those earning median incomes are often too low for unsubsidized developers hoping to turn a profit.
An escape valve
The state may force local governments to lay the groundwork for new development — identifying potential sites, rezoning to allow for denser housing, changing local laws that make construction more economically feasible. But historically, local governments haven’t faced any consequences if nothing actually gets built.
That changed in 2017, when state lawmakers passed a landmark housing bill aimed at boosting new housing production where it was most needed. In jurisdictions that are halfway through their planning process but have yet to permit at least half their housing targets for above-moderate, low- and very low-income housing (housing affordable to a “moderate” income level isn’t included), the law requires local governments to fast track most apartment and condo projects. In exchange, developers have to set aside a certain number of affordable units and pay their workers more.
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Of the 212 Southern California cities and counties that crossed the halfway point this year, all but four failed to hit those numbers and are now subject to the streamlining law.
But if history is any guide, that alone isn’t likely to trigger a building boom.
Private developers have insisted that the affordability requirements and higher wage standards written into the law make projects infeasible everywhere but in the highest rent neighborhoods. Since 2018, the law has been used to green light 27,961 units, according to the state’s housing department. That’s a significant sum, but it’s far from enough to close the gap.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Sorry, North America. After winning the cosmic lottery with a pair of coast-to-coast total solar eclipses, now it’s Europe’s turn.
But look skyward anyway Wednesday and, if you’re far enough north in the U.S. and Canada, you might savor a partial eclipse as the moon nibbles away at the sun.
Totality will begin near the North Pole, then streak southward across Greenland, Iceland, Spain and a patch of Portugal. Daytime darkness won’t last more than a couple minutes at best — shrimpy compared with North America’s epic 2024 eclipse — but it is continental Europe’s first encounter with totality since 1999. Spain gets a much longer shot at totality next August, along with North Africa and the Middle East.
For the U.S., the Great American Eclipse of 2017 kicked off the sun-vanishing mania with more than two minutes of totality from Oregon to South Carolina. The amount of totality almost doubled in 2024, racing diagonally from Mexico’s Pacific coast all the way past Newfoundland.
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America’s next coast-to-coast total solar eclipse isn’t until 2045. So catch a partial now if you can.
Here’s a list of some U.S. and Canadian cities in position to see a partial solar eclipse on Wednesday if skies are clear, in alphabetical order, with local times and the amount of sun coverage provided by NASA:
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—Anchorage, Alaska, with 28% coverage. Begins at 7:36 a.m. and ends at 9:09 a.m., peaking at 8:21 a.m.
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—Bangor, Maine, with 24% coverage. Begins at 12:54 p.m. and ends at 2:49 p.m., peaking at 1:53 p.m.
—Detroit with 3% coverage. Begins at 1:03 p.m. and ends at 2:08 p.m., peaking at 1:36 p.m.
—Montreal, Quebec, with 18% coverage. Begins at 12:50 p.m. and ends at 2:38 p.m., peaking at 1:45 p.m.
—New York City with 9% coverage. Begins at 1:07 p.m. and ends at 2:38 p.m., peaking at 1:54 p.m.
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—Philadelphia with 7% coverage. Begins at 1:11 p.m. and ends at 2:35 p.m., peaking at 1:53 p.m.
—St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador, with 53% coverage. Begins at 2:28 p.m. and ends at 4:37 p.m., peaking at 3:35 p.m.
—Toronto, Ontario, with 8% coverage. Begins at 12:55 p.m. and ends at 2:23 p.m., peaking at 1:40 p.m.
—Washington, D.C., with 4% coverage. Begins at 1:17 p.m. and ends at 2:27 p.m., peaking at 1:53 p.m.
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—Winnipeg, Manitoba, with 5% coverage. Begins at 11:25 a.m. and ends at 12:40 p.m., peaking at 12:02 p.m.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
“Customers regularly describe the café as a ‘must-visit’ in Belfast, praising its relaxed atmosphere, standout breakfast menu and speciality drinks”
A busy Belfast cafe has been ranked as the UK’s most popular independent coffee shop.
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A study conducted by Capital on Tap analysed more than 100 independent coffee shops, ranking them using a combination of Google review ratings, review volumes, average monthly Google search volumes and Instagram followers to see who came out top.
Two Northern Irish businesses made the top 3, with Neighbourhood Café coming away with the top spot and Established Coffee just around the corner ranking at third.
Ranking in first place, Neighbourhood was remarked for its “standout breakfast menu” and its status as a must try spot in Belfast City Centre.
Captial on Tap said: “Neighbourhood Café in Belfast ranks as the UK’s most popular independent coffee shop. The café stands out for its strong online presence, with around 27,100 average monthly Google searches, one of the highest in the rankings, alongside 45,500 Instagram followers and a 4.6-star Google rating.
“Customers regularly describe the café as a ‘must-visit’ in Belfast, praising its relaxed atmosphere, standout breakfast menu and speciality drinks. The café’s signature nut butter latte receives particular praise, with many reviewers saying the coffee lives up to the hype.”
Following closely behind in third place, Established’s service, pastries and online popularity were a standout feature on the list.
They continued: “Established Coffee in Belfast rounds out the top three with a 4.6-star Google rating, 12,100 average monthly Google searches and 36,500 Instagram followers. Alongside its strong online popularity, the café has built a reputation for its high-quality coffee and freshly baked treats.
“Customers often champion its friendly service, beautifully presented filter coffee and pastries, with several reviewers singling out its lemon meringue pie as one of the best they’ve tasted.”
The judge overseeing the state trial of Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson, has laid down the ground rules for court public and media access to the high-profile case.
Mangione returned to court on Tuesday ahead of his murder trial, which begins next month in New York. Dressed in a charcoal grey suit with his hair clipped short, Mangione sat silently at the defence table while his attorneys conferred with the judge.
In Tuesday’s hearing, Judge Gregory Carro decided that the 12-person jury would remain anonymous to the public due to the spotlight on the case, and that there would be an overflow room to meet media demand.
The case has attracted national attention, and has also created an online frenzy, with both his backers – many of whom see Mangione as a symbol of the backlash against US healthcare costs – and his critics analysing everything from his intentions to his appearance.
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The spectacle is likely to intensify when jury selection for the trial begins on 8 September.
Mangione, if found guilty, could face decades behind bars. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including second-degree murder and weapons-related offences.
He faces a separate federal trial next year, in which he has also pleaded not guilty.
Much of what is expected at the state trial – the prosecutor’s case, Mangione’s defence, and obstacles both parties face – were previewed in months of court filings and arguments.
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Here’s what to know about the upcoming trial, and what questions remain.
Gomez co-stars in the series alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short, with the upcoming Britain-set sixth season set to star a plethora of British talent, including Jennifer Saunders, Martin Freeman, Simone Ashley, Jane Horrocks, Geri Halliwell, Jamie Demetriou, David Tennant, Richard Ayoade and Olivia Colman.
Frempong, who previously appeared in Too Much and Essex Girls, added: “I am extremely excited to be joining EastEnders! I have watched the show for as long as I can remember and have such vivid memories of gathering around the TV with my family, especially at Christmas, to watch all the drama unfolding on the Square, so it feels pretty surreal to now be a part of the action!
Earlier, Mr Burnham wrote on Facebook that he was “increasingly confident that a more focused approach” to creating more headroom in the prison system would “allow us to reduce the number of people released early and, in the case of the most serious offenders like those convicted of the killing of Pc Harper, prevent their early release altogether”.
Alex Jones made an emotional return to Wales to reunite with a former sub-postmaster who was wrongly caught up in the Post Office Horizon scandal
Alex Jones has returned to Wales to reunite with a sub-postmaster whose life was turned upside down by the Post Office Horizon scandal.
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The One Show presenter met Steve, who runs a post office in Nelson, Caerphilly, more than a decade after he first appeared on the BBC programme to speak about the financial discrepancies he was experiencing at his branch.
Steve was among hundreds of sub-postmasters caught up in the Horizon scandal, in which faulty accounting data made it appear that money was missing from post office branches. Many were wrongly accused of theft and false accounting, with some prosecuted as a result.
When Steve first spoke to The One Show in December 2014, he had been confronted with an alleged shortfall of around £44,000. More than ten years later, the problems have not completely disappeared.
During Alex’s return visit to the branch, Steve showed her his latest figures, revealing that he is still seeing discrepancies in the accounts.
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“I’m still getting ups and downs,” he told Alex, pointing to the figures recorded by the system.
He explained that one day’s figures showed the branch £1.44 down, while another showed a £276 shortfall – money he said the Post Office was still asking him to repay.
Despite his experiences, Steve has continued running the branch because of the people who rely on it.
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Asked by Alex where he finds the strength to continue, he said: “For the community, basically.”
He added that the support he has received locally has helped him carry on, saying he had not received a single negative comment from people in the area.
Steve’s story is particularly significant as the Horizon scandal continues to have an impact on communities across Wales and the rest of the UK.
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He has now received £75,000 in compensation and plans to retire from the post office after years of serving the local community. While retirement will bring relief after everything he has endured, Steve admitted that leaving will also be emotional.
He expects to feel “a bit of sadness” after spending so many years behind the counter.
Alex’s reunion with Steve formed part of a special The One Show feature marking the programme’s 20th anniversary.
The One Show’s Post Office feature aired on Tuesday, August 11 on BBC One as part of the week of celebrations of 20 Years of The One Show
A 21-year-old driver caused the front of a building to collapse after he ploughed into it driving whilst on his phone.
Daniel Mohammed crashed into the takeaway shop in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, at around 6am on the morning of July 20 last year.
Footage captured the moment part of the building was demolished upon impact, after Mohammed lost control of the Ford Focus he was driving and drove straight into the shop.
A cloud of debris went up after the devastating crash, which left the entire front of the building open and the car being written off.
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Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard how a woman who had been travelling with Mohammed in the front passenger seat had been asking Mohammed to slow down as he was driving with his phone in his hand.
The young driver ignored the warning, smashing into the building and leaving the female passenger, who knew him through mutual friends, with a fractured left collarbone and a fracture to two bones in her forearm after the incident.
Both the passenger and Mohammed were taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital. As well as a broken collarbone and wrist fractures, the woman experienced tingling and reduced sensation in her fingers after the crash.
Mohammed, of Cobridge, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, using a vehicle without third party insurance, and using a handheld mobile phone while driving a vehicle.
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Footage showed Mohammed approaching Rose Fast takeaway at speed before ploughing into it
The front of the building immediately collapsed after the collision and the front of the car was destroyed
The crash left a female passenger, who had asked Mohammed to slow down, with a broken collarbone and wrist fractures
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Daniel Mohammed (pictured), 21, was sentenced to 26 months’ imprisonment
The court heard he also had a previous conviction for drug-driving.
Judge Graeme Smith sentenced him to 26 months’ imprisonment and told the defendant: ‘There was a deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road. You drove at speeds in excess of the speed limit.
‘You overtook a vehicle on the approach to a zebra crossing where the zigzag lines indicate you should not overtake and also on a bend where you could not see whether anything was coming in the opposite direction.
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‘You were using a mobile phone at the time. You had been warned by your passenger to slow down but disregarded that warning.
‘Having watched the video, it is astonishing that both of you were not more seriously injured. She was the more seriously injured.
‘You were using the mobile phone and had no insurance. You accept responsibility for what happened. What happened appears to be out of character.
‘However, there was a previous driving-related offence committed earlier last year. I cannot suspend the sentence because of its length.’
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In addition to the jail term, Mohammed was banned from driving for three years and 10 months and must also pass an extended test.
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Moment motorist collapses building after ploughing into takeaway while on his phone
The existing building will be made into flats and a bungalow and two masinettes will be built on the grounds
A Grade II listed building is set to undergo a major transformation after conversion plans were approved by Peterborough City Council. The historic property at 63 Church Street in Stanground, which is currently used for both commercial and residential purposes, was purchased by Simon Dann and Edel Lynch in 2014.
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According to planning documents, despite not being responsible for the destruction of the historic features prior to their ownership, Mr Dann and Mrs Lynch have spent more than £400,000 restoring the building so far. They have now been given the go-ahead to convert the building into flats, as well as build two new maisonettes and a three-bedroom bungalow on the property grounds.
“As demonstrated over the years by trying to bring back lost features, the applicants are dedicated to further enhancing the building to its potential as a Grade II listed building,” the design and access statement reads.
It was argued in the application that the proposal would create a range of different property types which would provide essential accommodation to contribute to the housing need within the area.
In 1969 the Grade II listed building became a Polish gentlemen’s club and in 1970 extensive building works were carried out which resulted in the loss of some original features.
Planning permission and listed building consent was later granted in 2014 to demolish the extension and carry out restoration works in order to change the building into a chiropractic clinic and residential accommodation.
“The site is a unique opportunity to bring back historic features and allow them to be further enhanced and appreciated whilst promoting a community feel within the site area,” planning documents stated.
Peterborough City Council’s highways team raised concerns around a shortfall of two parking spaces, but planning officers determined this would not result in an adverse highway safety issue.
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The development must begin within three years, with a number of conditions listed in the officer’s report.
One athletics fan urged organisers on social media to “fill the place” with “cheap door tickets”.
Another said they decided against buying tickets as it would cost his family “more than a holiday” when travel and accommodation for one night was factored in.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said she expected attendances to increase as the championships continued.
“It is true that over the past few days we haven’t sold out the stadiums but we are seeing those numbers rising steadily,” she said.
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“We have some amazing events coming up, the men’s 100m final, people like Keely Hodgkinson competing and I think you will see that really rise in the next few days.”
She added she thought organisers have “pretty good job here” over ticket prices with “half of all the tickets for the events here in Birmingham are under £30”.
A Birmingham 2026 spokesperson expressed delight at the ticket sales which “have far surpassed our targets”.
“Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening sessions are approaching sell-out, with several other sessions close to capacity,” they added.
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“There are still opportunities to be part of the championships at incredibly good value.
“After a fantastic opening day of competition, we’re looking forward to welcoming many more spectators to Alexander Stadium throughout the week and sharing more memorable moments of world-class athletics.”
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