Homes Record Breaking Returns

Bay Area homes deliver record-breaking returns Louis Hansen PUBLISHED: February 28, 2018 at 10:01 am | UPDATED: March 1, 2018 at 7:42 pm Categories:Business, California News, Latest Headlines, News, Real Estate Richard Rogers looks at the kitchen at an open house at 5893 Taormino Avenue in San Jose, Calif. on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2018. (Randy Vazquez/ Bay Area News Group) (Click here, if you are unable to view this photo gallery on your mobile device.) The good times started to roll in April 2012. The Warriors had a solid new back court named Curry and Thompson and local home prices started to climb again. Since then, Bay Area homes have gained value year-over-year for a record 70 straight months, according to real estate data firm CoreLogic. It’s been nearly six years, and the Warriors and the housing market look stronger than ever. Some counties have seen average property values nearly double during that stretch, including appreciation of more than 80 percent in Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. That’s nearly twice the national increase during the same time. In Alameda and Solano counties, real estate offered better returns than even the Dow’s 87 percent run-up between April 2012 and December 2017. “It never cooled down,” said Mark Wong, agent at Alain Pinel in Saratoga. “It just kept heating up.” The streak tops the real estate fever that overtook the valley during the dot.com boom from early 1996 though September 2001. But agents say there’s more stability now in the region’s economy from established and expanding tech giants such as Apple, Google and Facebook. They don’t expect the real estate run-up to slow down. The latest sales report from January reflects a steady rise in home prices, pumping up values for property owners while leaving first-time buyers busting budgets to purchase a starter home. Experts say prices were boosted by continued tight inventory and a growing, well-paid workforce. The sheer scarcity of homes for sale is driving up bids. The Bay Area median price for a resold home rose to $712,000 in January, an 11.8 percent gain from a year ago, according to a report released Wednesday by CoreLogic. Median sales prices in San Mateo rose 30 percent from the previous January, reaching $1.31 million. Santa Clara prices jumped nearly 24 percent to $1.05 million. Alameda rose about 14 percent to $755,000, and Contra Costa home prices went up 7 percent to $535,000. Gains have reached double-digits for the last six months. But rising prices also meant a drop in home sales. The 3,410 purchases of resale homes last month represented a dip of nearly 4.5 percent from last year, according to CoreLogic. Over the long-term, the Bay Area bounced back more quickly from the real estate crash than other parts of the country, said CoreLogic research analyst Andrew LePage. He noted that other metro areas in the west, including Los Angeles, Seattle and Phoenix, have seen similar strong runs in their housing markets. But the Northern California run has been notable for its record-busting prices. “The Bay Area is impressive, or daunting, depending on your perspective,” LePage said. Local agents say the streak has been fueled by the combination of a strong local economy steadily adding tech jobs, rising stock prices that benefit tech professionals, and confident buyers. William Doerlich, an agent with Realty One in San Ramon, said the market began to turn around 2011 and 2012 with the help of federal tax breaks. “It really started what we’re seeing — this fairly robust market,” he said. Alain Pinel’s Wong said many clients were looking to catch the bottom of the market around 2012. “But whenever you see the bottom,” he said, “you’ve missed it.” Wong has seen houses in hotspots like Cupertino, Los Altos and Mountain View going for almost 50 percent over asking price. “It’s a very good long-term investment,” he said. Agents continue to point to the shortage of new homes being built as a key reason for escalating prices. By one estimate, the region added 6 times as many jobs as new housing units between 2010 and 2015. “We’re not nearly keeping up pace,” said Gustavo Gonzalez, a San Jose agent. “We’re not trying to send somebody to Mars, here. We’re trying to build more houses.”

Does the American Dream no longer include homeownership?

While it has no official definition, the American Dream has always been the notion that citizens of the United States can better their lot in life through hard work. That encompasses the idea that hard-working kids of hard-working parents would have a better life than the previous generation, and homeownership has generally been considered part of that. A decade after the housing market crashed, the homeownership part of the American Dream has become more elusive, according to a new study from Pew Research Center. The report, which analyzed Census Bureau housing data, showed that more United States households "are headed by renters than at any point since at least 1965." Between 2006 and 2016, the U.S. added 7.6 million households, but "in part because of the lingering effects of the housing crisis," according to Pew. During that 10-year period, the number of households renting their homes jumped from 34.6 million (31.2% of the total) to 43.3 million (36.6%). That tops the relatively recent high watermark of 36.2% renting in 1986 and 1988, while coming in just below 1965's 37% renters rate. Young adults lead the way While young adults have historically been more likely to rent than other age groups, the numbers are increasing. More than 6 in 10 (65%) of households headed by someone under 35 rent, Pew reported. That's up from 57% in 2006 but it's not as big a gain as the 35-44 age group made where the percentage of renters jumped from 31% in 2006 to 41% in 2016. The numbers rose among Americans 45-64 as well, going from 22% in 2006 to 28% in 2016. In fact the only demographic studied that did not post an increase was those 65 or older who stayed flat at 20%. It's not that people don't want to buy In many cases the increase in renters has been blamed at least partially on Millennials not wanting to be tied down or not working hard enough to afford buying. In fact most renters want to buy, according to a separate Pew report: "In a 2016 Pew Research Center survey, 72% of renters said they would like to buy a house at some point. About two-thirds of renters in the same survey (65%) said they currently rent as a result of circumstances, compared with 32% who said they rent as a matter of choice. When asked about the specific reasons why they rent, a majority of renters, especially nonwhites, cited financial reasons." While mortgages are cheap on a historical basis, inventories remain low, prices have soared, and mortgage standards have remained tough. Banks and other lenders may have more flexibility than they did right after the housing crisis, but the days of stated income, low-doc, or even no doc loans are largely gone. Add in the fact that some capable, qualified buyers have decided to put off homeownership due to lingering fears over the economy and you can see why homeownership has declined. Americans still want to buy houses. Some of us can't afford to right now, while others are waiting for better opportunities. Many simply lack the means to reasonably expect ever to be able to make a purchase. Owning a home remains part of the American dream, at least for most Americans, but it's also a less attainable goal than it was for previous generations.

New Homes Are Getting Smaller

DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2017 Developers are continuing to shrink the size of new single-family homes, according third-quarter housing data compiled by the National Association of Home Builders. The median square footage of a single-family home was 2,378 square feet in the third quarter. In the years following the Great Recession, builders were focused on the higher end of the market, catering to larger-sized homes. But more recently, builders have renewed their focus on the entry-level market, and NAHB predicts square footage of new homes to continue to decrease. “Typical new-home size falls prior to and during a recession, as home buyers tighten budgets, and then sizes rise as high-end home buyers, who face fewer credit constraints, return to the housing market in relatively greater proportions,” NAHB explains at its Eye on Housing blog. “This pattern was exacerbated during the current business cycle due to the market weakness among first-time home buyers. But the recent declines in size indicate that this part of the cycle has ended, and the size will trend lower as builders add more entry-level homes into inventory.” Source: “Declining New Home Size Trend Continues,” National Association of Home Builders’ Eye on Housing blog (Nov. 17, 2017)

DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017 The front porch—a classic feature of American homes—is making a comeback but with a twist.

The Front Porch Is in Demand Younger crowds are literally turning porches into stages. “Porchfest” is growing in popularity across the country, in which neighborhood music festivals pop up that are enjoyed from homeowners’ front porches. The Atlantic Monthly’s CityLab reports: “In the Instagram age, the front steps have become places to see and be seen, throw a rocking concert or party, and to foster metropolitan community in a walk-by, stop-in-for-wine sense.” Read more: Welcome Back the Front Porch Shelley Glica in Niagara Falls, Ontario, told CityLab how she organized a Porchfest in her community and how in warmer months she’ll also host a “Stories From the Porch” series of speakers on art, history, and culture. Glica and others represent a generational rethinking of the front porch, CityLab reports. Porches are growing in demand across the country. Twenty-three percent more new homes are being constructed with a front porch than two decades ago. The number of new homes built with porches was at 65 percent last year, according to the National Association of Home Builders. In the Southeast, that figure jumps to 86 percent. An NAHB survey from 2016 also shows that millennials—more than any other age group—say they want a porch. The front porch was once a celebrated signature of Federal architecture. In the 1800s, past presidents had launched successful front-porch political campaigns. For homeowners, front porches were a place to do chores, such as shuck beans, or to get fresh air on hot days before air conditioners. But once air conditioning was invented, Americans showed less need for cooling porches in the middle of the 20th century. The invention of televisions also pushed homeowners inside more. Nowadays, younger generations are finding the porch can be an enjoyable hangout spot. Scott Doyon, who organized a Porchfest in the Atlanta area, says the front porch is now being used as a place to host friends over for hors d’oeuvres or even sharing a concert on Instagram or other social media. “I try to find ways to plug those old ways of living into the modern world,” Doyon says. “I still believe in the value of porches as a conduit to community-building—it just unfolds in a different way now.” Source: “America Rediscovers Its Love of the Front Porch,” CityLab.com/The Atlantic Monthly (Nov. 20, 2017)

Choosing A Mortgage Broker Or Lender

Deciding on where to secure financing and the type of financing to use to purchase a house is one of the most important steps of buying a house. The article explains the difference between a mortgage broker & mortgage lender. A mortgage broker is a middleman between a potential borrower and mortgage lenders. Mortgage brokers help potential borrowers secure the best type of mortgage and rates. A mortgage lender is an actual organization who provides the funding for the purchase of real estate. An example of a mortgage lender includes credit unions or banks. Ask For Referrals / Recommendations. Turn to family, friends, and colleagues for recommendations, as well as ask a real estate agent. An experienced buyer’s agent will have access to several brokers or lenders they’ve worked with in the past and had positive experiences dealing with. Research Mortgage Brokers Or Lenders Online. A great tip for finding and choosing a mortgage broker or lender is to research potential companies online. The author offers the websites which provide reviews from previous customers which can be very helpful to a potential buyer. They are Facebook, Google Business, Yelp, Better Business Bureau, Trust Pilot, and Zillow Learn About Mortgage Brokers’ Or Lenders’ Products. One of the top tips for finding and choosing a mortgage broker or lender is to learn about the products they offer. Each and every mortgage broker or lender will offer different types of mortgage products. Since every home buyer’s circumstances are different, it’s vital they find the best mortgage product. Understand What Fees Are Charged. Before completing a mortgage application with a mortgage broker or lender, it’s critical to know exactly what fees are charged. The article gives some of the most common mortgage fees to be on the lookout for. They are Appraisal Fee, Rate Lock Fee, Application Fee, Origination Fee, Processing Fee and Underwriting Fee. Ask The Right Questions. Asking the right questions when talking with prospective real estate agents is always highly recommended. Home buyers who know the right questions to ask real estate agents when buying a home will have a better experience than those who don’t. If a mortgage broker or lender struggles to answer these questions quickly, you may want to shop around and talk with a couple of other brokers or lenders.

4 costs you haven't factored into your homebuying budget

It's not cheap to buy a home these days, and we're not just talking about the price of the home itself. Other out-of-pocket costs that crop up during the purchasing process, or even when you're moving in, can put an unexpected strain on your already-hurting bank account. For starters, you'll need to budget between 2% and 5% of the home's purchase price for closing costs, including appraiser, lender, and title fees. New regulations passed last year mean lenders have to be more transparent about these fees, and (as long as you read your closing documents) you should have a relatively good idea of what they'll be when your lender makes you an offer. Powered by SmartAsset.com SMARTASSET.COM Unfortunately those closing costs only make up a portion of the added expenses you'll face. Nearly half of homebuyers incurred more than $2,000 in unexpected charges during the homebuying process, according to a recent survey by TD Bank, and 10% spent at least $5,000 more than they expected. "Most people just look at the sticker price of the house and the mortgage payment," says Svenja Gudell, chief economist at the housing site Zillow. "But there are a lot of additional costs that can shock first-time homebuyers." 1. The inspection Once you've made an offer on a property, you'll usually need to pay an inspector a few hundred bucks to give the home a once-over. If he finds any potential problems -- structural issues or asbestos, for example -- you may have to pay another specialist to come in and offer a professional assessment. homebuying costs magnifying While it can be tempting to skip the inspection to save cash (or to make a more attractive offer to a seller), it's worth the outlay to get peace of mind that the home is in good condition -- or negotiating ammo to make sure the price reflects the necessary repairs. "It's money well spent," says Cindy Hamann, chair of the Houston Association of Realtors. 2. Bringing cash to the table Homebuyers are also often surprised with the extra cash -- beyond closing costs -- that they need to spend at the closing table. Many lenders require you to pay a year's taxes and mortgage upfront. If the seller prepaid any taxes or homeowners association dues, you'll have to pay her the prorated amount for the rest of the year or quarter. "Once you're done with all the fees and the deposits for reserves, you may end up bringing many more thousands of dollars than you thought to the closing," says Keith Gumbinger, vice president of HSH.com. 3. The move Once you've officially closed, you'll need to pay for the move itself. That cost will vary considerably depending on where you live, how far you're moving, and how much stuff you'll need to haul. In general, though, expect to pay at least a few thousand dollars for professional movers. homebuying costs men It's easy to overpay for movers, so get quotes from a few companies, and hire someone who's licensed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and has good reviews online (even better if you can get a referral from a friend). 4. Immediate costs While you may be able to put off renovations or furniture purchases, there are some costs that new homeowners face right away. You'll likely want to hire a locksmith to change the locks, for example, and there could be deposits or setup fees for getting your utilities started. As a new homeowner, you'll also now be on the hook for both routine, and unplanned maintenance costs on the home. Experienced realtors say you should expect something to break or need replacing within your first year. Set up an emergency savings account with at least six months of expenses that you can tap if your roof springs a leak or the heater suddenly stops working. That way you won't have to turn to credit cards to cover the unexpected, and you can spend some time enjoying your experience as a new homeowner, rather than worrying about how you're going to pay for it. CNNMoney (New York) First published June 26, 2017: 10:32 AM ET

6 Financial Perks of Being a First-Time Homebuyer

From mortgage points to PMI, unlock the essential info about how homeownership affects your tax burden. Hours after we closed on our first house, my husband and I sat in our empty new living room and stared at the walls. He was the first to speak, saying simply, “I thought it was painted.” We learned a lot about that old house over the next 15 years. While we knew to expect some of the work, other tasks, such as needing to paint the walls, we figured out as we went along. One of the changes we didn’t anticipate was needing to make some adjustments to our tax forms. The forms you fill out when you buy your house are just the beginning. We quickly understood that first-time homeowners have years of mortgage and insurance paperwork to look forward to. Then, of course, there are the taxes. To help you sort through that pile of paperwork and ensure you’re saving as much money as possible we did some research into tax benefits that can come from buying. Six Tax Benefits for New Homeowners 1. You can deduct the interest you pay on your mortgage. The home mortgage interest deduction is probably the best-known tax benefit for homeowners. This deduction allows you to deduct all the interest you pay toward your home mortgage with a few exceptions, including these big ones: Your mortgage can’t be more than $1 million. Your mortgage must be secured by your home (unsecured loans don’t count). Your mortgage must be on a qualified home, meaning your main or second home (vacation homes count too). Don’t assume that if you are married and file a joint tax return, you have to own your home together to claim the interest. For purposes of the deduction, the home can be owned by you, your spouse, or jointly. The deduction counts the same either way. And don’t worry about keeping track of how much you’re paying in interest versus principal each month. At the end of the year, your lender should issue you a form 1098, which reports the amount of interest you’ve paid during the year. Warning: Since, as a first-time homeowner, you pay more interest than principal in the first few years. That number can be fairly sobering. 2. You may be able to deduct points. Points are essentially prepaid interest that you offer upfront at closing to improve the rate on your mortgage. The more points you pay, the better deal you get. You can deduct points in the year you pay them if you meet certain criteria. Included in the list (and it’s a long one): Points must be paid on a loan secured by your main home, and that loan must be to purchase or build your main home. Pro tip: Points that you pay must also be within the range of what’s expected where you live — unusual transactions may cause you to lose the deduction. 3. Depending on the year and your income level, you may be able to deduct PMI. Private mortgage insurance, or PMI, protects the bank in the event you default. PMI may be required as a condition of a mortgage for first-time homebuyers, especially if they can’t afford a large down payment. For most years, PMI is not generally deductible, but the specific rules around it change annually. In 2016, if you made less than $109, 000 a year as a household, you could claim a tax deduction for the cost of PMI for both their primary home and any vacation homes. Check to see if the PMI deduction is a possibility as you are working on your taxes. 4. Real estate taxes are deductible. Real estate taxes are imposed by state or local governments on the value of your property. Most banks or other mortgage lenders will factor the cost of your real estate taxes into your mortgage and put those amounts into an escrow account. You can’t deduct the amounts paid into the escrow, but you can deduct the amounts paid out of it to cover the taxes (you’ll see this amount on a form 1098 issued by your lender at the end of the year). If you don’t escrow for real estate taxes, you’ll deduct what you pay out of pocket directly to the tax authority. And don’t forget about those taxes you paid at settlement. If you reimburse the seller for taxes already paid for the year, you get to deduct those too. Those amounts won’t show up on a form 1098; you’ll need to check your settlement sheet for the totals. 5. Your other tax deductions may matter more. To take advantage of these tax benefits, you have to itemize your deductions on your tax return. For most taxpayers, this is a huge shift: in many cases, you’re moving from a form 1040-EZ to a form 1040 to list expenses on Schedule A. In addition to interest, points, and taxes, Schedule A is where you would report deductions for charitable donations, medical expenses, and unreimbursed job expenses. For itemizing deductions to make good financial sense, you generally want to have more total deductions than the standard deduction (for 2015, it’s $6,300 for individuals and $12,600 for married couples). Most taxpayers don’t reach those numbers — unless they’re homeowners. The home mortgage interest deduction, in particular, tends to tip most homeowners over the standard deduction amount, making those other deductions (such as medical expenses) that might otherwise go unclaimed more valuable. 6. You’ll get capital gains tax relief down the road. I know you just bought your home, but admit it: Resale value is something you considered when you chose your home. And different from other investments for which you’re taxed on the full value of any gain, you can exclude some of the gain attributable to your home when you sell. Under current law, you can avoid paying tax on up to $250,000 of gain ($500,000 for married filing jointly) so long as you have owned and lived in the property for two of the last five years (those years of owning and inhabiting don’t have to be consecutive). Gain over that amount is taxed at capital gains rates, which are generally more favorable than ordinary income tax rates.

33rd Annual Moonlight Run and Walk

Presented by the City of Palo Alto Friday, October 6, 2017 at the Palo Alto Baylands Start Times: 5K Walk @ 7:00 p.m. / 10K Run @ 8:15 p.m. / 5K Run @ 8:45 p.m.

Where should I stash my down payment savings?

Saving for a down payment can be a big undertaking and a major hurdle to buying a home. That's why you want to be sure to protect your hard-earned savings. Powered by SmartAsset.com SmartAsset.com With a plan of homeownership less than a year away, experts recommend keeping the funds in a savings account. The idea is to keep the money easily-accessible and safe. "While other investments may be able to provide a higher return in the long run, because of their short-term time horizon, it's most important that they ensure they have the money they need to buy the house when they want it," said Roger Ma, a certified financial planner and licensed real estate agent in New York City. While savers have been dogged by low interest rates on savings accounts, online savings accounts usually offer higher yield. For instance, Ally Bank is currently offering a 1.05% annual percentage yield (APY) on its online savings accounts, compared to an average .06% savings rate at big banks. Related: Here's how long it takes to save for a down payment Experts also suggested considering putting the money in a money market account or a certificate of deposit (more commonly known as a CD). CDs tend to pay higher interest than savings accounts, but your money is locked in for a certain time period. "A CD might be restrictive," said Eric Roberge, a CFP and founder of the firm Beyond Your Hammock. "Make sure the term is aligned with when you will need the money. Your first priority should be liquidity and the ability to access the money without fees." broke no more Send us your money questions for a chance to be featured in Broke no more! Ask us here. With any of these accounts, it's important to verify the bank is FDIC insured. If your plan is to buy a home in roughly three to five years, you have a little more wiggle room -- but not much. Longer-term CDs can have higher higher yields, and depending on your risk tolerance it could make sense to invest some of the funds. "If you wanted a little risk, you can consider investing 30-40% of the funds in equities and the remaining balance would be 60-70% in bonds," said Patrick Stark, director of financial planning for RS Crum. "But be careful with the bonds, make sure they are high-quality investment bonds." Once the time horizon becomes five years or longer until homeownership, wanna-be buyers have even more savings options. If buyers had a lump sum of money saved up already, Roberge might advise them to put it in the stock market in a conservative portfolio of either a 50-50 split between stocks and bonds or one that favors bonds. At the same time, buyers would continue to save more money in a savings account. "The idea is that in five years they will probably have enough in the savings account to just use that money for the down payment, and then the money in the stock market they can leave it in there," he said. While lenders like to see a 20% down payment, it's not always a requirement. There are other low-down-payment options, including a government-backed FHA loan that requires as little as 3.5% down. However, putting less than 20% down means you'll pay more every month since you'll be borrowing more money and likely be charged private mortgage insurance fees on top of your mortgage payments. Lastly, experts said signing a down payment check shouldn't clear out your bank account. Stark recommended keeping three to six months of living expenses in an emergency fund to cover any unexpected expenses. "No matter how well you plan things, there are always unexpected expenses when you own a home," he said. Send us your money questions for a chance to be featured in Broke no more! Ask us here. CNNMoney (New York) First published June 15, 2017: 9:59 AM ET

Menlo Park: Boarding house proposed along Willow Road

MENLO PARK — A property owner hopes to build a boarding house along Willow Road in Menlo Park, according to city documents. While a city planner acknowledged that the project, if approved, would be a “single-room occupancy type of building,” he said it would not operate like a hotel, as all tenants would at least have monthly leases, and it would be geared toward high-income workers. “It’s our understanding that it would likely be longer-term leases,” Senior Planner Kyle Perata said, adding that he wasn’t aware of the city receiving any boarding house applications in the past. “It would be market-rate units, it would not be part of the (city’s) below-market-rate program.” ADVERTISING The project is planned for 555-557 Willow, where Menlo BBQ currently operates. The restaurant would continue at the site whether or not the project is approved. Property owner Reza Valiyee seeks to tear down a long-vacant office building and construct a three-story building with 16 bedrooms. Each bedroom would contain an individual bathroom, but all residents would share a common kitchen and living room. The project would trim the current 20 parking spaces at the site to 14, with four of them covered spaces. Perata didn’t have additional details, as the project is still undergoing an initial review. The proposal would need to go before the Planning Commission for approval, but has not yet been put on the city’s calendar. Perata encouraged people with questions or comments about the plan to call him at 650-330-6721 or email him at ktperata@menlopark.org. Maureen Holding, a nearby resident, wrote a letter to the city saying the project would be out of character with the surrounding neighborhoods. “Placing either a hotel or college-type dormitory in the midst of a family-oriented neighborhood is certainly not appropriate,” Holding wrote. In September 2014, Valiyee proposed to convert the existing office building into two residential units containing five bedrooms each, but it stalled after the Planning Commission raised concerns about adding another floor. Email Kevin Kelly at kkelly@bayareanewsgroup.com or call him at 650-391-1049.

2017 Bike to Work Day - May 11th!

4/25/2017 The Bay Area's Bike to Work Day is Thursday, May 11th and the City of San Carlos will be participating by hosting an Energizer Station at the San Carlos Train Depot along El Camino Real from 7:30 am to 9:30 am. Hop on your bike and encourage your friends to do the same. Then stop by for coffee and treats as well as a tote bag stuffed with useful biking information and helpful bicycling items (while supplies last). For additional information visit the http://www.youcanbikethere.com/ web site.

Official says California graduation rate rises to 83 percent - See more at: http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/wnews/2017-04-12/official-says-california-graduation-rate-rises-to-83-percent/1776425178667.html#sthash.dVqctT1P.dpuf

April 12, 2017, 05:00 AM By Sophia Bollag The Associated WOODLAND — More than 8 in 10 public high school students in the class of 2016 graduated on time, California’s top education official announced Tuesday, citing higher education funding as a major cause. Just over 83 percent of the students finished in four years, up about 1 percentage point from the prior year to reach a new high, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said. He attributed the improvements in large part to more funding for California public schools that has reduced class sizes and expanded arts and science education. Graduation rates have risen for seven consecutive years, with the biggest increases seen among African-American and Latino students as well as English learners, according to data from the California Department of Education. However, graduation rates for those groups still lag behind the numbers for white and Asian students. In 2016, 80 percent of Hispanic or Latino students and less than 73 percent of African-American students graduated on time, compared to 93 percent of Asian students and 88 percent of white students. About 72 percent of English learners graduated on time. Torlakson said those students have improved the most since last year. “That’s extremely positive to see that growth,” he told media gathered at Woodland High School, west of Sacramento. “We’ve done a lot to concentrate resources where needs are greatest.” He pointed to Woodland High as a model where career readiness programs have helped the school reach a graduation rate of 94 percent. The state’s focus on improving graduation rates and closing the achievement gap between demographic groups has paid off, said Ted Lempert, president of the Oakland-based advocacy group Children Now. “While there is progress, we really need to be focused on all of our kids,” he said, adding that he’s particularly alarmed by the graduation rate for foster youth, which is less than 51 percent. “We certainly have a ways to go.” Although it’s important for students to graduate from high school, that shouldn’t be the only goal, said Nadia Diaz Funn, director of the Los Angeles advocacy group Alliance for A Better Community. Not enough students at Los Angeles public schools qualify for college admission when they graduate, she said. “Continuing to focus on the annual graduation rate as the ultimate indicator for student success shortchanges the potential of our students,” she said in a statement. The California Department of Education released updated graduation rate data by school, district and county Tuesday. The federal Education Department is auditing the accuracy of the California Department of Education graduation rates. Torlakson said he believes the department’s method of calculating graduation rate is accurate and indicative of rising student success. He said other indicators, including AP test scores, also show California students are doing well. “I’m totally confident that the audit will find that we’re doing everything right and reporting the data consistently over the years,” Torlakson told the Associated Press. The audit was revealed in November. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of the Inspector General declined to say what prompted the audit. - See more at: http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/wnews/2017-04-12/official-says-california-graduation-rate-rises-to-83-percent/1776425178667.html#sthash.dVqctT1P.dpuf

Report: Rising seas pose risk to county

April 12, 2017, 05:00 AM By Samantha Weigel Daily Journal The perils of rising seas, increased incidents of coastal erosion, billions of dollars of at-risk infrastructure and a push for a regional response to addressing the effects of climate change are highlighted in a first-of-its kind study for San Mateo County. Community meetings will be held this month after the county’s Office of Sustainability released its draft Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment. Its first major report is part of its Sea Change SMC program, an initiative that began about two years ago. Determining what’s at risk is one of the first steps in the regional effort to adapt and prepare for climate change. Short of taking action, the report notes that nearly $1 billion worth of property is at risk to near-term flooding, and nearly $34 billion is vulnerable to erosion and long-term flooding, according to the report. Bay Area seas have already risen 8 inches in the last century and scientists predict another 5 inches to 2 feet of additional rise in the region by 2050, according to the report. While the county is surrounded by beauty of the San Francisco Bayfront and California coastline, these features make it one of the most at risk for sea level rise in the state. “The report provides a snapshot of our current vulnerability, it’s not all what the future will bring, there are risks today,” said Dave Pine, vice president of the Board of Supervisors. “The reason San Mateo County is the most vulnerable county in the state is because of our historic land use development patterns where we have development to the edge of the Bay and in many cases into the Bay on Bay fill.” From Brisbane to East Palo Alto and San Mateo to Half Moon Bay, a range of vital public and private infrastructure could be at risk. Schools, homes, wastewater treatment plants, airports, major highways, landfills, railroads and wildlife habitat are all vulnerable. The county consists of 53 miles of Bay shoreline, 11 miles of levees and floodwalls, 41 miles of berms or embankments and 7,100 acres of wetlands. San Mateo County has 56 miles of coastline, nearly 60 acres of wetlands, 300 miles of rivers or streams and a variety of recreational assets. At 2 feet of sea level rise, San Francisco International Airport would be flooded. If the Bay was to rise 3 feet, Highway 101 as well as neighborhoods in Burlingame and Millbrae would be inundated, according to the report. “We expanded into the Bay in places like Foster City, Redwood Shores and the airport. So those are the places that are most vulnerable where we constructed or built our major population and business centers,” Pine said. Should some of this infrastructure be compromised, it could result in even wider-spread effects to the entire community, said Hillary Papendick, the county’s climate change and adaptation manager. Basic equipment like pump stations that move stormwater and sewage away from homes are examples of infrastructure upon which many may not realize their communities depend, she said. “If we were to see a flood that would take out some of these critical systems … we would see far-reaching impacts. Everyone in the county would be affected if the water treatment plants stopped functioning or the highway were flooded,” Papendick warned. But the picture isn’t completely bleak. The vulnerability assessment is the first step in hopefully promoting a regional response early enough to help cities and the county adapt. “The good news is there’s a number of things we can do in the near term and long term to help reduce risks,” Papendick said. The assessment doesn’t prioritize particular projects or strategies that should be used. That will come after further collaboration with stakeholders, deciding what type of criteria should be used to evaluate improvements, and then outlining an implementation plan, she explained. On Tuesday, the report was presented to the Board of Supervisors before two community meetings are held in Burlingame April 25 and in Half Moon Bay April 29. Some of the most fruitful aspects of preparing the report were engaging stakeholders from different cities, educating the public about sea level rise and working toward promoting a coordinated regional response, Papendick said. Plus, improvements in one area could have the unintended consequence of negatively affecting another. Furthermore, funding these types of improvements will be challenging, particularly for individual jurisdictions. This makes a regional approach even more pertinent, she and Pine explained. “Flooding and sea level rise don’t respect jurisdictional boundaries and in the years ahead, we will have to work in a collaborative and coordinated way to defend against sea level rise,” Pine said. Plus, last minute, reactionary responses are generally less cost effective than advanced planning. Regional or multi-city approaches might include large-scale wetland restoration that act as a natural horizontal levee and traditional sea walls. On a city basis, updating zoning ordinances and building codes to reflect risk or considering strategic retreat from at-risk areas are other initial actions communities can take, Papendick said. Other possibilities are to construct new infrastructure or buildings with sea level rise in mind. For example, building flexible facilities that could theoretically be raised or modified to account for rising seas, she said. One of the most timely and pertinent examples of that concept is Foster City’s plan to raise its levee, which protects the entire 4-square mile community from potential flooding. Mandated by the federal government to raise it a certain amount, Foster City has opted to build it in such a way it could be more easily raised to accommodate future sea level rise. Papendick said there are already seven projects various communities are working on along the Bayside in an effort to address climate change and protect against flood risks. Predictions vary from a risk of flooding today in the event of an extreme storm, to the seas rising 6 feet at the end of the century. While some remain doubtful of these forecasts or whether mankind is having an effect, Pine noted climate change is coming. “Even if all carbon emissions were stopped tomorrow, sea level rise will continue to pose challenges to our county for generations to come. That’s because the heat that’s already captured in the ocean takes time to melt these ice sheets,” Pine said. “It’s a problem that’s not going away and we’ll have to deal with it in the decades ahead, one step at a time. This report marks the beginning of that effort.” Visit seachangesmc.com for more information about the assessment and details about the upcoming community forums. samantha@smdailyjournal.com (650) 344-5200 ext. 106 - See more at: http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/lnews/2017-04-12/report-rising-seas-pose-risk-to-county/1776425178671.html#sthash.oS97KFNm.dpuf

A Christmas Carol, A Gift to the Community

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A Christmas Carol: A Gift to the Community
December 11 – 20