[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6573393,"mediaKeyId","3049889-23dad80f8f5973c52f157a732dc58ed8","parentId",3049889,"title","Mayor says Lafayette 'outstanding,' highlights wildfire safety, Mount Diablo Corridor, BART walkway and volunteer awards","audioSeconds",1313,"startMs",139000,"endMs",1452000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3049889-23dad80f8f5973c52f157a732dc58ed8&start=139&end=1452","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3049889-23dad80f8f5973c52f157a732dc58ed8/thumbnail_139000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6573393/Lafayette/Contra-Costa-County/California/Mayor-says-Lafayette-outstanding-highlights-wildfire-safety-Mount-Diablo-Corridor-BART-walkway-and-volunteer-awards","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6573393-9365c05467c260c455febe44708795a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771187408&Signature=d9bV7uku-4VrExKorNPdG~pTK9ft5Sc-Rg-GZZMFRaFPBzcR9IPEcaCQ-qyjsvUVX0gpKpNqw-GVyS8Dkjhm0VO89f~qGqaGY8Aaiv4FY4--FKPD8GcWngw1UBZdkBmHyRSzpizJLeZ13C5p2~AvMqYJCVXEzei3sg6KvX~oPD1UcCKnXXj9iFXpQk3wcOqzfZMZd9chhRtvTE8UGFdngn6hBXthAkcG87dEVzOTpn7HbUnt3bmnlOG~OR9fNOv3XmNR0pRfXZ6cf6WFTzkpMOM4znKJQPLDtM1eY~udTPewUFca7D3tGSDaDClhy9xgMOJON-YKkJTJ2VfKhOTT4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-18T10:04:08.237Z","article","At a State of the City event, Mayor (unnamed) called Lafayette \"outstanding,\" saying the city is fiscally healthy because of Measure H, a decision to offer a matching 401(k) instead of joining CalPERS, and an upcoming payoff of the city's roads bond in June.

\"The state of our city is outstanding,\" the mayor told the audience, adding the city currently shows no unfunded pension liabilities because it uses a matching 401(k) plan rather than CalPERS. The mayor also warned that a loss of federal funding could cost the city about $9,700,000 in grants, a shortfall that would change priorities.

City priorities for 2025–26 listed by the mayor include wildfire safety, development of a Mount Diablo Corridor plan intended to create a \"great street\" along Mount Diablo Boulevard, and fiscal sustainability including the formation of a Measure H citizens oversight committee. The mayor said early work on the corridor plan could start in early 2026.

She introduced Police Chief Jamie Williams and highlighted a new \"coffee with the cops\" drop-in event. The mayor said the city's road-safety program around schools is complete for most projects and that the remaining School Street walkway project is at risk if federal funding is lost.

The mayor also announced the BART Walkway to Downtown improvements, describing planned features including a landscaped plaza, a bike station, public art and a safer bike and pedestrian path; bids are expected to go out soon with ground-breaking hoped for later this year. The downtown mural project was described as beginning a community-guided design process, with initial designs possibly appearing in April.

The mayor congratulated Park Theater Trust for beginning renovation work on the Park Theater and said a groundbreaking for a new Bay Area Cancer Support Community Center is planned by the reservoir in April; she clarified the center will provide support services, not medical treatments, and will serve a broader region than Lafayette.

The mayor closed by thanking hundreds of city volunteers and listing the many advisory bodies and commissions recognized during the event, including the Transportation and Circulation Commission, the Planning Commission, the Public Art Committee, the Senior Services Commission and others. The event concluded with a volunteer appreciation reception.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Mayor Candell's State of the City Address, March 31, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At a State of the City event, Lafayette's mayor called the city's fiscal position \"outstanding\" and outlined priorities including wildfire safety, Mount Diablo Corridor planning, a BART walkway to downtown and volunteer recognition.","taxTitle","Lafayette, Contra Costa County, California","taxId",77659,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6573398,"HCD certifies Lafayette housing element; Housing Action Coalition sues city",108,634000,742000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3049889-23dad80f8f5973c52f157a732dc58ed8&start=634&end=742","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3049889-23dad80f8f5973c52f157a732dc58ed8/thumbnail_634000.jpg","/articles/6573398/Lafayette/Contra-Costa-County/California/HCD-certifies-Lafayette-housing-element-Housing-Action-Coalition-sues-city","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6573398-73503894afee6915a5e070165b1fbccb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771187408&Signature=Rst3ghlS-dnvcFITSExLo82BPe76y7kQJy8reFzITTEoch~IiNarvJxrJOIU-AqL8a3obzOvUxul6ZXmwFxZbJ7AucX1khFXinuxOE6cGqqcAy0wGW9ksw5sZI2xeWPypAfiy0bUWjc6PWfzjf8sB9zp4PdaTN8TctAcdyOlGsuL-40iBVUFvvxLgNAhntOGTZABWhMv1FkVzlSxkKsxC09cdTtjh1g8I40gZ-lw4kyeD1y~VS8akaIJWaOokF-mDnwoIbVj4P~le0Sq~CTex-Nw7DJHVvhJIJ3l7q-pgURrzDfjID2LK36H1YGfqbTcKJ~Df3dqSQze~D6JlgdALQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has certified Lafayette's housing element, Mayor (unnamed) said at the State of the City event. The mayor described the certification as the product of a long review process that included multiple HCD reviewers and extensive work by city planning staff.

\"We finally received HCD certification of our housing element,\" the mayor said, noting that the city's planning director, Greg Wolf, organized a final call with HCD's director to resolve outstanding questions in real time.

Despite the certification, the Housing Action Coalition has filed a lawsuit alleging the city's housing element does not comply with state law. \"This certification does not automatically eliminate the lawsuit,\" the mayor said. The mayor added that the Housing Action Coalition has pursued similar legal action against other Bay Area cities and that Lafayette is preparing to \"vigorously defend our city.\"

The mayor described the certification process as lengthy: the city had multiple HCD reviewers and answered final questions in real time to secure certification. The city did not provide further legal filings, court dates, or specific statutory citations during the remarks. The mayor said staff are reviewing the lawsuit and preparing the city’s legal response.","The California Department of Housing and Community Development certified Lafayette's housing element after multiple reviewer rounds, but the Housing Action Coalition has filed a lawsuit alleging noncompliance; city officials said they will vigorously defend the certification.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6573403,"Lafayette council unanimously sells 949 Moraga Road lot to Sunflower Hill and Saha for $1",36,561000,597000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3049889-23dad80f8f5973c52f157a732dc58ed8&start=561&end=597","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3049889-23dad80f8f5973c52f157a732dc58ed8/thumbnail_561000.jpg","/articles/6573403/Lafayette/Contra-Costa-County/California/Lafayette-council-unanimously-sells-949-Moraga-Road-lot-to-Sunflower-Hill-and-Saha-for-1","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6573403-bd4055b130406aeb238f97339eaf9716/orig.mp4?Expires=1771187408&Signature=NIqUs1rAR42c4FjEg~REJsmIM9A-lEH28Ya9oYrzaMQ6DPOFeeTndd6Cd6bwXGkS0Sr19oXh6-MmHbBiPpa8z9KpPlmdsi~lkgBy3gUN8xlqvwo2PNoiI16KdHiOYFXGlM5ZCT2JfGTsfzPdakEvJ4npUvI0YfRvIECVTev9~Sm3wXA-1Jq~N6~8JffYCBYEX29LAJBA5864HNrmz5ui3CwztwaWl7Blifd75WF8LmK4xBMKfr--3aMhv~kD5I3PRgc2fxGIbqDw59wqHahAMpY6CQ--DmowXtYvFco~R~4tEXxS1nft3V2LFw~Wx~MSulp4rd-pq0qepxxK3C-q9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Last Friday, the City Council unanimously voted to sell the city-owned parking lot at 949 Moraga Road to Sunflower Hill and Saha for $1, the mayor said.

The deal is a one-year agreement, contingent on the developers securing outside funding and with the possibility of extension, Mayor (unnamed) said. \"This deal will last for a year and it's contingent and with possibility of extending it, but contingent on them getting their funding,\" the mayor said.

City officials told the audience that the donated land is a critical local contribution that improves the applicants' chances of winning state and federal funding. The project as described by the mayor would create 43 units of 100% affordable housing for developmentally disabled adults. The mayor said there is broad community support for the facility but warned that state and federal funding appears to be shrinking.

The council did not identify a motion mover or seconder in the remarks summarized at the State of the City event. The mayor described the vote as unanimous; the mayor also noted that Vice Mayor Carl and Council Member McCormick were present for the event.

Council members and staff did not provide additional technical details about the financing timeline, the developer's specific funding sources, or an explicit construction schedule during the remarks recorded in the public address.","The City Council voted unanimously to sell the city-owned parking lot at 949 Moraga Road to Sunflower Hill and Saha for $1 on a one-year, funding-contingent agreement that the mayor said is essential to secure financing for 43 units of 100% affordable housing for developmentally disabled adults.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Mayor says Lafayette 'outstanding,' highlights wildfire safety, Mount Diablo Corridor, BART walkway and volunteer awards

HCD certifies Lafayette housing element; Housing Action Coalition sues city

Lafayette council unanimously sells 949 Moraga Road lot to Sunflower Hill and Saha for $1