Renew Financial offering PACE financing for thousands of commercial properties as part of major partnership with leading national solar company, making solar affordable for tens of thousands of properties in California. National expansion of plan also likely

San Jose Downtown Association will expand its Street Life Project—which focuses on bringing more vibrancy to the city’s downtown core, with special events, outdoor activities, creative installations and other initiatives—as a way to engage residents in community life and create incentives for talented people to live and stay in the city. The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is providing $625,000 in new funding to support the expansion over the next five years

With the Wragg Fire growing to more than 6,000 acres and impacting Napa and Solano counties, residents should listen to the warnings of local and state officials and seek safety if asked to evacuate. Once evacuated to a safe location, residents should save receipts for expenses and contact their insurance companies through their toll free claims telephone numbers as soon as possible to begin receiving assistance if their home is damaged, according to the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI)

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) is seeking potential additional victims of a woman charged with defrauding over $24,000 in cash and property from an elderly man. Polly Sandra John, 49, Anaheim, is charged with five felony counts of theft from an elder, two felony counts of attempted theft from an elder, three felony counts of grand theft auto, one felony count of grand theft, and sentencing enhancements for aggravated white collar crime over $100,000, and property damage loss over $65,000.

The California Housing Finance Agency announced today that it had completely eliminated its reliance on the U.S. Treasury’s Temporary Credit Liquidity Program (TCLP), which had been introduced in 2009 to help housing finance agencies across the nation weather the housing crisis

Congressman Xavier Becerra (CA-34), Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, spoke on the House Floor in opposition to H.R. 3009 — a counterproductive anti-immigrant bill that would deny funding to local law enforcement, following the tragic death of Kathryn Steinle in San Francisco.

Congressman Alan Lowenthal (CA-47) has signed on as an original co-sponsor of the Equality Act, comprehensive legislation to ban discrimination against LGBT individuals in public accommodations, housing, employment, and other core areas of daily life

The City of Oakland is violating constitutional protections for property rights and free speech — and unjustly raising costs for home buyers and businesses — by forcing builders of homes and commercial projects to fund art works that have no reasonable connection to any public needs created by their building projects

Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-09) led his California and Oregon House Democrat colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer opposing H.R. 2898, the Western Water and American Food Security Act of 2015. The signatories include 19 California representatives – half of the California House Democratic Delegation – and three Oregon representatives, all who voted against H.R. 2898 last week

Rep. Paul Cook (R- Apple Valley) voted for HR 3009, the Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act. This bill cuts off specific federal grants for sanctuary cities, states, and localities that defy federal immigration law. Under current law, states and localities must not “prohibit or in any way restrict” their local government officials or employees from sending to or receiving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) information regarding citizenship or immigration status of any individual.

As part of her work to ensure that foster youth are successful as they move into adulthood and to combat some of the startling statistics about former foster youth, Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA) today joined the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth co-chairs Reps. Tom Marino (R-PA), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Jim Langevin (D-RI), Diane Black (R-TN) and Trent Franks (R-AZ) to introduce H.R. 3160, the "Foster Youth Independence Act of 2015." This legislation will enable foster youth to continue to receive much-needed resources as they transition into adulthood and independence

The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®(C.A.R.) applauds Governor Brown for signing into law AB 345, a C.A.R.-sponsored bill that earmarks three hours of a real estate broker's existing mandated continuing education (CE) for a course on the management and supervision of real estate licensed activity. Governor Brown signed the bill into law on Monday, July 13, and the bill becomes effective Jan. 1, 2016.

California pending home sales continued to gain steam in June, registering seven months of continued annual increases and the fifth consecutive month of double-digit increases, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said today

Senior Vice President Lidia Talavera with NAI Capital arranged a 10-year lease to Chuze Fitness. The company based out of Carlsbad, CA will open its thirteenth location in California at Orchard Plaza, 9080 Foothill Blvd, in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. Talavera, represented owner C-III Asset Management, LLC in the transaction.

Senior Vice President Marie Taylor with NAI Capital completed the sale of the Azusa Foothill Kennels property at 214 N. Aspan Ave. in the city of Azusa, Calif. Built in 1967, the 30,400 square foot site included 9,754 square feet of kennels and a 2,754 square foot single family residence with a 360 square foot garage

Mayor Edwin M. Lee today issued the following statement on the Board of Supervisors’ final unanimous approval of the $310 million affordable housing bond measure for the November 2015 ballot. “Today this Board approved the largest affordable housing bond in the history of San Francisco – a $310 million housing bond that will not raise property taxes.

 Following through on his call for bold, forward-thinking solutions to address California’s historic drought crisis, Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-09) announced that he and Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) have introduced bipartisan legislation to establish a smart water management pilot program meant to spur innovative projects. Rep. McNerney announced the Smart Energy and Water Efficiency Act at a roundtable discussion yesterday, in Stockton, CA, with technology innovators and representatives from the renewable energy, agriculture, business, and water recycling sector

For the tenth year running, schools from the Alliance to Save Energy’s (Alliance) PowerSave Campus Program are being honored with 2015 Best Practice Awards for their energy efficiency work by the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference (CHESC).

Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced that San Francisco will leapfrog its efforts to protect the climate from harmful effects of diesel emissions by phasing out the use of petroleum diesel in the municipal fleet and replacing it with renewable diesel by the end of this year.

The California Fire Safe Council, a non-profit corporation, has an immediate opening for a Grant Specialist to provide technical expertise and program implementation direction to a diverse array of grant recipients to achieve its mission of “mobilizing Californians to protect their homes, communities and environment from wildfire”. The successful candidate will be detail-oriented with an open communication style, strong computer capabilities (including learning customized software), and comfortable with budgets and financial analysis.