Yearly Archives: 2016

Westwood Financial Corp., (WFC) one of the largest privately held owner-operators of grocery-anchored retail properties in the United States, has hired Jeanne Lazar as chief financial officer. Lazar joins the team at WFC with more than 20 years of diverse commercial real estate finance experience.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the victims in Taiwan after this weekend's tragic earthquake. California has the largest concentration of Taiwanese immigrants in the nation. Today, we all join our Taiwanese-American community here in Los Angeles to mourn this tragic loss of life.

California is in the fifth year of a record-breaking drought that has called for extreme measures. Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in January 2015 and imposed strict conservation measures statewide. Last April, Brown issued an executive order that required cities and towns to cut water use by 25 percent for the remainder of the year. That order was extended in January for another eight months, despite January having seen above-average precipitation.

U.S. Representative Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) this week introduced the FAST Act of 2016, bipartisan legislation to shrink the size of government, eliminate waste, and sell off unused and vacant federal properties, saving taxpayers billions of dollars.

Today Attorney General Kamala D. Harris announced that California will join the U.S. Department of Justice, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and 48 other states in entering into a consent judgment with mortgage lender and servicer HSBC over its faulty mortgage servicing practices. This ruling will address mortgage origination, servicing, and foreclosure abuses perpetuated by HSBC.

Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra (CA-34) joined Huffington Post Live to discuss the Flint water crisis. Video of the interview may be found here and a partial transcript of his remarks follows below. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held a hearing this week on the Flint water crisis but there was one person missing: Michigan Governor Rick Snyder.

Karl Kreutziger has been promoted to president of C.W. Driver Companies, a premier builder serving the Western United States since 1919. Having served in leadership roles on behalf of C.W. Driver Companies for more than five years, 29-year industry veteran will take over the role of president for Dana Roberts, who will serve as CEO and chairman of the board. In this role, Kreutziger will be responsible for leading the overall direction of C.W. Driver Companies as well as spearheading project teams in the preconstruction and planning phases, and overseeing

In light of the ongoing leak near Porter Ranch, Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (CA-46) today sent a letter to President Barack Obama; EPA Administrator, Gina McCarthy; and Secretary of Transportation, Anthony Foxx, urging immediate action and federal oversight to protect Californians’ health and safety, and to prevent any future disastrous natural gas leaks.

The 17th annual Silicon Valley REALTORS® Scholars Program for graduating seniors from 18 public high schools in Silicon Valley is under way. The scholars program is sponsored by the Charitable Foundation of the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR), a professional trade organization representing over 4,500 REALTORS® and affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay

Rep. Jim Costa (CA-16) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3700, the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2015. The House passed H.R. 3700 with unanimous support.

"The violent end to a man’s life is always tragic, and I understand there will be many points of view about today's decision by the Board of Police Commissioners. Charly Keunang’s death has been particularly painful for many in our city. The events that led to it drew a bright red line from our homelessness crisis to some of the most difficult tasks that we ask the men and women of the LAPD to perform every day. Independent civilian oversight lies at the heart of the progress made by the LAPD over the last 20 years, and I have great confidence in the Police Commission, the integrity of its deliberations, and the leadership of President Matt Johnson.

A fourth man was charged today in connection with the robbery and killing of a Downey homeowner, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced. Michael Anthony Harrod (dob 5/6/91) of Anaheim has been charged with three felony counts in case VA141129: murder, home invasion robbery and first-degree burglary, person present.

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (CA-46), senior member of the House Homeland Security Committee, released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 3700, Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2015

Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) welcomed the release today of a key agreement between the federal government, California and Oregon, and power company PacifiCorp which is expected to lead to the historic removal of four dams on the Klamath River

Supervisor’s Patrick Kennedy, Phil Serna and Don Nottoli, the Sacramento County Department of Transportation (SACDOT), and Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) are hosting a ribbon-cutting event to celebrate construction completion for the Old Florin Town Streetscape Improvement Project. The project includes various roadway improvements, and streetscape enhancements that help create an attractive pedestrian and bicycling friendly environment that will encourage and support new development along this corridor. 

The California Water Commission today began the formal rulemaking process with the Office of Administrative Law for the first draft regulations for the Water Storage Investment Program. Today also begins a 45- day comment period on the draft regulations, with written public comments accepted through March 14, 2016.

"The homeless count isn't about numbers, it's about people. It isn't about statistics, it's about our promise to lift up those who have been left behind. In the streets tonight, I saw an outpouring of support by Angelenos from all walks of life. Their generosity and compassion is going to help us eradicate homelessness and will create a ripple effect for years to come.

A diverse coalition of consumer, environmental, faith, agricultural, environmental justice, and business organizations joined together to applaud the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) decision to preserve net metering, a critical solar policy that gives the state’s energy consumers the opportunity to generate their own energy with solar power.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has filed a civil lawsuit to remove Carson Mayor Albert Robles from serving as a director on a regional water board. The lawsuit alleges that holding both offices simultaneously is a conflict of interest and violates state law

Pending home sales in California continued to improve from a year ago with solid gains, which will position the market for a modest increase in home sales in 2016, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said today