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The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) today praised the passage of California’s Senate Bill 350, the leadership of the bill’s sponsor and champion, Senate President pro Tem Kevin de Leòn, and Gov. Jerry Brown, who earlier this year set out the ambitious vision of meeting 50 percent of the state’s electricity needs with renewable energy. In addition to increasing energy efficiency in buildings, the bill increases the state’s Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) to 50 percent by 2030.

The City of Sacramento Department of Utilities announces a Spare the Water Alert through Saturday, September 12. Spare the Water Alerts are typically declared when three consecutive days of 100+ degree temperatures are forecasted. With these extreme temperatures over the week, the City is asking customers to cut back on their non-essential water use, only water on their scheduled watering days, and to water only before 10 a.m. and after 7 p.m.

Mayor Edwin M. Lee today highlighted milestones in the City’s new first-of-its-kind Navigation Center pilot program including helping 200 homeless residents access housing and services in five months. Mayor Lee also announced a new $3 million re-allocation of City funds to expand the Navigation Center model, and challenged the private sector to match the City’s commitment at least dollar-for-dollar.

Mayor Edwin M. Lee today highlighted milestones in the City’s new first-of-its-kind Navigation Center pilot program including helping 200 homeless residents access housing and services in five months. Mayor Lee also announced a new $3 million re-allocation of City funds to expand the Navigation Center model, and challenged the private sector to match the City’s commitment at least dollar-for-dollar

Mayor Edwin M. Lee and City Administrator Naomi Kelly today announced the appointment of Kevin Guy as Director of the newly created Office of Short-Term Rental Administration and Enforcement. Funded in the Mayor’s FY 15-17 budget, the “one-stop” shop is intended to streamline the application process for the City’s short-term rental registry and more aggressively coordinate complaints and enforcement of the City’s short-term rental regulations.

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (CA-46) held a Water Drought Briefing and Recognition event last Thursday to provide the public with an update on the California water drought crisis and valuable information on ways to increase water conservation.

In 2014, California not only led the nation in total installed solar electric capacity, with solar power generating more than 5 percent of the state’s total electricity consumption, but the Golden State also added more installed solar capacity last year than all other states combined, according to a new report released today by Environment California Research & Policy Center.

Join Councilmembers and City staff in a discussion about private property owners in the home/room sharing industry, such as Airbnb in Sacramento. Currently, there are 170 properties within the Sacramento limits that are listed on Airbnb, one of the most popular sharing websites.

In response to a new policy announced by First Republic Bank to stop financing so-called “displacement mortgages," 11 local community organizations released this statement today. We commend First Republic Bank for boldly acknowledging the significance of displacement mortgages in the housing displacement crisis that is occurring in San Francisco.

The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) will honor three REALTORS® as “Champions of Home,” California REALTORS® who have changed their clients’ lives for the better, raised the standards for others, and led by example.  In its third year, the award honors REALTORS® who have been selected by their peers as individuals who have gone to great lengths on behalf of their clients and practice business with the highest ethics and morals

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (Habitat LA) will dedicate a seven home development, located at 3305 Magnolia Ave, in Lynwood, CA on Saturday, August 29. The seven partner homebuyer families have contributed hundreds of sweat equity hours toward the building of their homes and will pay back a monthly interest free mortgage. The dedication will take place from 11am to 1pm and will celebrate hundreds of hours of hard work and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for these seven hardworking, low-income families

Even with rising home prices over the past few years, many homeowners who have considered selling are deciding not to because they are caught in an affordability squeeze that is compounded by a lack of inventory, according to findings from the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®’ (C.A.R.) “2015 Survey of California Homeowners.” More than one-third (35 percent) of homeowners have considered selling their home in the past year, and of that share, about two-thirds (64 percent) are reluctant to sell because they are finding they can’t afford the home they really want, the survey found.

California pending home sales soared from the previous year in July, posting the strongest year-over-year increase in more than six years, CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said today. In a separate report, California REALTORS® responding to C.A.R.’s July Market Pulse Survey saw a reduction in floor calls, listing appointments, and open house traffic, compared with June.

A man was sentenced today to 10 years in state prison for attempting to murder his relative as the victim slept in their Trabuco Canyon home. John Edward Kudla, 19, pleaded guilty on Jan. 16, 2015, to one felony count of attempted murder and one felony count of aggravated assault with a sentencing enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury.

Two men were sentenced today to 30 years to life in state prison for robbery in concert after breaking into two homes in Orange for the benefit of a criminal street gang. Andre Ricardo Pierson, 25, Inglewood, and Dwight Ladale Stephen, 26, Los Angeles, were found guilty by a jury July 29, 2015, of seven felony counts of first degree robbery of a dwelling in concert, one felony count of possession of a firearm by a felon with sentencing enhancements for criminal street gang activity and vicarious use of a firearm by a gang member. Pierson’s prior prison conviction for possession of a firearm by a felon in 2010, and Stephen’s prior conviction for unlawfully carrying a concealed firearm in 2008 were also found to be true.

Today the California Department of Fish and Wildlife released photographic evidence of a new pack of gray wolves established in Siskiyou County in northern California. The pack has been named the “Shasta Pack” and consists of two adults and five pups, all captured on camera. The pups are approximately three to four months old and all appear to be healthy. This news comes just weeks after officials announced sightings of a suspected wolf caught on Siskiyou trail cameras in May and July. The presence of a whole pack in California affirms that wolves know there is suitable habitat in the state and are ready to use it.

California’s 40-year commitment to energy efficiency has saved Californians $90 billion on their utility bills, created hundreds of thousands of efficiency jobs, and will have avoided the pollution from 41 power plants by the end of the next decade, according to a new report published today by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the national nonpartisan business group Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2).

C.A.R. analysis finds significant disparity between home prices and what buyers can truly afford. Dearth of housing supply at affordable prices exacerbates housing affordability issue.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (Habitat LA) will celebrate its 25th Anniversary at the Los Angeles Builders Ball™. Habitat LA will honor its construction and real estate counterparts for their shared commitment to building a greater Los Angeles. Earvin “Magic” Johnson will be recognized for the transformative impact he has made on the landscape of Los Angeles through his work with Canyon Johnson Urban Funds, Magic Johnson Enterprises and Guggenheim Partners.

The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) is providing input on discussions that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Federal Housing Administration (FHA) are having to give Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) liens “super lien” priority, which would make them senior to the FHA’s single-family first-mortgage financing