Outlaw Fences

Outlaw Fences

Five weeks after his arrival, the new executive officer at the Central Valley Flood Protection Board appeared to ignore state law when he quietly signed three authorizations for private fences to block access to the Sacramento River Parkway and levee.

Two additional fence authorizations soon followed.

By allowing temporary fences, Christopher Lief reversed years of flood board practice and seemingly violated a California regulation that requires the board itself—not executive officer Lief—to authorize levee fences.

Step By Step

Step By Step

Homelessness is more than a housing crisis. It involves mental illness, drug addiction and criminal behavior, often committed by homeless individuals against others in encampments. While unsheltered individuals suffer, so does the quality of life in some of our neighborhoods.

Sacramento County takes a balanced approach using what I call the “four C’s”—compassion, coordination, capacity and consequences.

Backroom Fiasco

Backroom Fiasco

Can a gas station that never got built cost taxpayers more than $28 million? Yes, when that unbuilt gas station involves Crocker Village.

Turning an industrial site into a neighborhood of homes, shops, parks and offices is never easy. Crocker Village was no exception—a difficult infill project from inception two decades ago.

The village sits atop a former polluted rail yard. It required deep, expensive environmental remediation.

Pocket Life October 2023

Pocket Life October 2023

Pocket Life By Corky Mau October 2023 Maui Now? Locals advise on how to visit and help Should you vacation in Maui? Simple question, no simple answer. Residents displaced by summer wildfires need hotels and condos for housing. And Maui needs tourist dollars. The...