California’s Kern County lags in affordable housing

California lawmakers say that Kern County, in the rural Central Valley, is failing to build enough housing. The lawmakers base their conclusion on a California Department of Housing and Community Development report, which cites that all of Kern’s 11 cities and the county itself, are failing to meet state housing construction requirements.

Cap-and-trade revenue in California could help fight Central Valley’s contaminated water

Although California’s Legislature is required to spend cap-and-trade money on carbon emission reduction projects, some experts say that helping rural water districts—namely in the state’s Central Valley—would go a long way toward easing climate change effects.

Young renters and homeowners nationwide face lack of affordable housing, federal report finds

The majority of young Americans say they cannot afford to buy a house, citing student loan debt and rising childcare costs, according to the federal housing lender Freddie Mac’s report.

California lawmakers approve funding to improve contaminated drinking water

California’s Senate passed legislation this week allocating millions of dollars to treat contaminated drinking water. According to Gov. Gavin Newsom, nearly one million of the state’s 40 million residents lack access to clean drinking water.

California’s vulnerability to wildfires affects water districts’ liability

While recent wildfires in California have destroyed land and structures, and   killed residents, their threat to water districts has received less attention but is just as devastating.