California has sent resources to North Carolina to support their rescue efforts, and our hearts go out to those impacted by Helene. Extreme weather is no joke and every state seems to have its own horrifying new reality thanks to climate change.

NEWSOM TO NORWALK: NO NIMBYISM!

What, you thought all of the Governor’s flexing about holding cities accountable for housing production was just tough talk? Think again. Newsom just brought the hammer down on Norwalk, a Los Angeles suburb that thought banning homeless shelters and low-income housing was a good idea. We’re going to go out on a limb here and suggest that they may have miscalculated. Newsom swiftly announced that he would decertify their housing plans — an unprecedented move that strips the city of its control over land use and forces it to allow affordable housing developments, no matter what its zoning laws say. Norwalk’s ban on shelters didn’t just annoy Newsom, it made them the poster child for his frustration with NIMBYism. The message to other rebellious cities: Build housing or lose control. Newsom’s playing hardball, and Norwalk’s just his latest warning shot in a statewide housing crisis that's testing everyone’s patience.

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🤫 Everything you should know

- Big win for housing: California just ditched road-widening mandates after Gov. Newsom signed AB 3177. That means that developers will no longer have to carve out land for wider roads that don't really improve traffic. In Los Angeles alone, these outdated requirements could increase the cost of a single housing unit by up to $10,000. Now, more space for actual homes instead of zig-zagging streets. Now the burden is placed on local governments, they will now have to show “substantial evidence” for land to be set aside for new roadway space. Planetizen

- California’s insurance crisis has become dire. The California Association of Realtors, the major industry group in California with about 200,000 members, recently added an insurance contingency to its template for home sales involving its agents. This new clause will allow buyers to back out if they can’t secure affordable coverage. This change has become essential as major insurers like State Farm and Allstate have stopped issuing new policies, and others like Farmers have limited their offerings. As mortgage rates and insurance costs rise, first-time homebuyers face a growing number of hurdles. San Francisco Chronicle

- California’s grid just got a lot smarter! A new bill will allow electric vehicles to power homes using their batteries. It's more than just a cool feature — it could revolutionize how we stabilize the grid and cut utility bills. Imagine your EV acting as a personal power plant, helping during blackouts or peak energy times. The potential is massive, especially as the state anticipates 8 million EVs on the road by 2030. With automakers like Tesla and Ford already incorporating this tech, it's a game-changer that enhances grid resilience and reduces our reliance on fossil fuels. KRON4

⛑️ North Carolina Strong

Our thoughts are with the victims of Hurricane Helene, who are facing tremendous challenges in the wake of the storm's devastation. We take pride in California's cutting-edge disaster response capabilities, and we are honored to be able to share them in such dire times. California is deploying 151 firefighters and support personnel from the California Urban Search and Rescue (US&R). The deployment also includes California Swiftwater Task Force 1 from the Los Angeles Fire Department. These highly skilled teams are bringing their expertise to assist communities in need, providing critical resources and support. Together, we can help rebuild lives. Gov. Newsom

🌈 Rainbow is back home

A Salinas’ couple took their cat, Rayne Beau (pronounced "rainbow") to Yellowstone National Park. But the trip took a turn when the cat was spooked and ran away hundreds of miles away from home. But in an incredible turn of events the cat was able to make it back to California himself. 2 months after losing their pet a microchip company was able to connect the owners to their pet who made his way to Roseville, California, nearly 900 miles (1,448 kilometers) from Yellowstone. He was only about 200 miles (322 kilometers) away from his home in Salinas. Turns out even cats know to always come back to California. KTVU

X Not an exaggeration

Our children deserve better than this. Homeless students are one of our greatest policy failures.

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