Drought Developments – Manhattan Beach Moves One Step Closer to Water Sustainability as it Constructs a New Peck Reservoir
The City of Manhattan Beach is building a new drought-busting reservoir to replace its aging system.
Sustainability Under Our Feet – Water Replenishment District Refills Ancient Aquifers to Meet Region’s Growing Water Needs
As Southern California faces the worst drought on record in 1,200 years, water is at the forefront of the minds of many. Some communities are facing water restrictions imposed by cities and utility companies. Many are asking, “why?” The Water Replenishment District (WRD) manages southern Los Angeles County’s groundwater supply. [...]
Good News on the Homeless Front – Following a Close Brush with Homelessness After a Pandemic Job Loss, Redondo Beach Woman Finds Path to Long-Term Stability Through Home Sharing GalleryGood News on the Homeless Front – Following a Close Brush with Homelessness After a Pandemic Job Loss, Redondo Beach Woman Finds Path to Long-Term Stability Through Home Sharing
Good News on the Homeless Front – Following a Close Brush with Homelessness After a Pandemic Job Loss, Redondo Beach Woman Finds Path to Long-Term Stability Through Home Sharing
Elena Becerra (left) and her father Alberto Becerra (middle) share a laugh with housemate Ron Bachmeier, a semi-retiree (right). At the end of 2019, Elena Becerra felt on track toward achieving the American dream. She had a full-time job she loved teaching her native language Spanish to students [...]
CALL FOR WATER-SAVING ACTION – West Basin Wants Residents to Get Super-Cali-Frugalistic with Water
The West Basin Municipal Water District (West Basin), a member of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, is the water wholesale agency proudly serving the South Bay region. Working in partnership with the SBCCOG’s South Bay Environmental Service Center (SBESC), it works to ensure water reliability in both wet [...]
New Temporary Shelter Gives the Unhoused in Torrance a Stepping Stone Toward Permanent Housing
A tiny home village has opened in Torrance to temporarily shelter people experiencing homelessness until they can be connected to a home of their own. From left: SBCCOG Administrative Officer Lara Gerges, SBCCOG Analyst Laurie Jacobs, analyst; SBCCOG Executive Director Jacki Bacharach; Los Angeles County 4th District Supervisor Janice [...]
Phase One Planning Work Gets Underway for Micromobility Lane Network
The South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG), its technical consultant Fehr and Peers, and cities’ staff have begun technical planning work to implement the new 243-mile route network called the South Bay Local Travel Network (LTN). The LTN is a network of safe streets that will support the growing [...]
GREAT RESIGNATION OR GREAT RESHUFFLE? – Cities Like Torrance Look at Private Sector Strategies to Address Retention Challenges
Contributed by: City of Torrance Human Resources, Learning and Development, and Economic Development The Great Resignation describes the higher-than-usual number of employees voluntarily leaving their jobs starting in late 2020 following COVID-19 shutdowns. A Pew Research survey found the top reasons U.S. workers quit were low pay (63%), no opportunities [...]
WISHING UPON A TREE – West Carson Turns One of Nation’s Most Contaminated Sites Into a Community Gem
In 2018, West Carson resident Cynthia Babich was conducting door-to-door outreach in her neighborhood. She was working to inform the community about upcoming meetings to solicit input on a proposed park project for a community with zero acres of park space. She knocked on a door at a home adjacent [...]
- BACKYARD HOUSING – State Funded Project Seeks to Determine if “Granny Flats,” Once Perceived as Urban Blight, May Be an Affordable Housing Solution for the South Bay Gallery
BACKYARD HOUSING – State Funded Project Seeks to Determine if “Granny Flats,” Once Perceived as Urban Blight, May Be an Affordable Housing Solution for the South Bay
BACKYARD HOUSING – State Funded Project Seeks to Determine if “Granny Flats,” Once Perceived as Urban Blight, May Be an Affordable Housing Solution for the South Bay
When Jonathan Pacheco Bell conducted zoning enforcement for the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning from 2006 to 2020, he frequently encountered homeowners who had built smaller, detached residential dwellings, known as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), on the same lot as their single-family homes. Often these units, nicknamed “granny [...]
7 Reasons Water Bottle Filling Stations Make Good Sense for Health and the Environment
West Basin Municipal Water District has installed more than 80 water bottle filling stations in or on the premises of public facilities throughout its service area through grant programs. In doing so, an estimated 110,000 plastic water bottles annually have been removed from the local waste stream.