Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 6h

My spiciest take on the Highway 37 bridge is that while most political will for it has been coming from Solano, it's Marin that needs it and should pay for it. Of 189,000 workers living in Solano, only 8,000 go to Marin or Sonoma.

It'd cost a whole lot less than $11B to attract new jobs to Solano.

map of commute patterns, showing 109,059 workers who live and work in solano, plus 75,812 workers who commute out, to the following counties

Contra Costa 19504
Napa 11850
Alameda 10315
San Francisco 8974
Sacramento 5287
Marin 5272
Yolo 5087
Sonoma 3780

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 6h

It's planned to be a toll bridge with similar toll as other bridges across the bay, but even then it's not going to come anywhere near breaking even. mtc.ca.gov/news/state-c...

State Commission Approves Highway 37 Toll Proposal

mtc.ca.gov

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 11h

A health and nutrition bill signing event is planned for tomorrow 2pm. www.gov.ca.gov/2025/10/07/t...

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 11h

Another batch of California bill signings - nothing significant, no new vetoes either. www.gov.ca.gov/2025/10/07/g...

Keep making those calls for SB 79 and the LGBTQ rights bills! 9am-5pm, or message anytime at www.gov.ca.gov/contact/ 1/

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 11h

The real question is, how much would it cost to build and allow enough housing in Marin & Sonoma that large scale commuting from Solano isn't necessary.

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 11h

In California, new single family houses are required to have fire sprinklers. I see the direction code is going in to eventually require a lot of what's required for apartments for houses as well.

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 12h

The entire proposed Highway 37 Solano-Marin super bridge is estimated to cost $11 billion, all to replace an existing road between a couple of suburbs. And it's proposed at 114 feet wide.

For comparison, the Golden Gate Bridge is 90 feet wide.

Warren Wells, AICP @warrenjwells.bsky.social · 14h

Caltrans has released a cross section for the ultimate (raised viaduct) version of SR-37.

Now maybe I'm just being paranoid, but if you were building a road that you planned to keep at 4 lanes wide, I don't think it would look like this.

Cross section of 114' wide bridge structure with each direction having a 12' outside shoulder and a 10' inside shoulder.

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 12h

It's true, I remember "the best place to hide something is on the ceiling"! No one looks up is in the design of modern commercial buildings - floors will have nice materials and designs, ceilings are a mess of ducts hanging from the metal floor deck covered in spray-on fireproofing.

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 13h

Tenants: if your home is missing any of these features, or any other required habitability feature, and you live in Berkeley, contact the Rent Board for help - rentboard.berkeleyca.gov

Berkeley Rent Board @berkeleyrentboard.bsky.social · 20h

This week for #TuesdayTenantTrivia we're talking about habitability! As California tenants, you are entitled to hot and cold running water, heat, electricity, garbage containers, safe stairways, and more. Visit our Habitability webpage to see a full list of your rights: rentboard.berkeleyca...

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Reposted by Alfred Twu

AG Rob Bonta @agrobbonta.oag.ca.gov · 18h

This past June, we sued one of the largest landlords in CA for violating tenant protection laws.

Now, we’re asking tenants who’ve been exposed to unsafe housing conditions to share their stories with us at oag.ca.gov/report.

All California tenants have the right to safe living conditions.

22,000+ Rental housing units in CA are owned and managed by the Nijar family’s companies.

Report Potential Violations

Current of former tenants of PAMA or any of its related companies:

CA DOJ wants to hear from you

OAG.CA.GOV/REPORT

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Reposted by Alfred Twu

More Perfect Union @moreperfectunion.bsky.social · 22h

California has now banned algorithmic price fixing.

The state has outlawed the practice of landlords colluding to raise prices using rental software and AI.

This is a huge victory for renters in the biggest state in the country.

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 21h

Phones are open, start making the calls!

Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 1d

The Governor still hasn't signed or vetoed any of the 15 LGBTQ rights bills, which include trans rights bills.

Call (916) 445-2841 btw 9am-5pm, ask him to sign all Legislative LGBTQ Caucus priority bills, or message anytime at www.gov.ca.gov/contact/ lgbtqcaucus.legislature.ca.gov/legislative-...

2025 Legislative and Budget Priorities | California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus

lgbtqcaucus.legislature.ca.gov

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 21h

Electric bikes are more and more popular in Berkeley, making biking easy especially for older residents and people living in the hills ✅🚲

Berkeleyside @berkeleyside.org · 1d

Residents of all ages and abilities are taking to electric bikes — used for commutes, school drop-offs, grocery trips and joy rides.

Why electric bikes are everywhere in Berkeley

Residents of all ages and abilities are taking to electric bikes — used for commutes, school drop-offs, grocery trips and joy rides.

www.berkeleyside.org

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 1d

At least in the Bay Area, our county's waste disposal info website StopWaste says they still do - clothes in unwearable condition get used to make carpet padding and seat stuffing resource.stopwaste.org/search?item=...

| RE:Source

Your Online Guide for Reuse, Repair, Recycling, and Safe Disposal. Serving Alameda County, Contra Costa County, and the City of Palo Alto

resource.stopwaste.org

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 1d

Anyone else notice that there seem to be fewer Halloween stores this year?

Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · Apr 9

Unless the Republican tariffs are repealed, and even then it may be too late, this is the future of retail in the US. 😭😬🤬

Political cartoon of a boarded up store that has an orange Halloween Store banner draped over it, and on top of that banner, a big yellow "Closed Due to Tariffs" sign. A person wearing a shabby patched dress and shoes that are falling apart walks past it.

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Reposted by Alfred Twu

Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 1d

A big late night batch of CA bill signings - two housing production bills in this one:
AB 648 - Allows community colleges to ignore zoning when build housing.
SB 484 - Pilot program to allow housing in 3 areas in the coastal zone without having to get a coastal permit.
www.gov.ca.gov/2025/10/06/g...

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 1d

A big late night batch of CA bill signings - two housing production bills in this one:
AB 648 - Allows community colleges to ignore zoning when build housing.
SB 484 - Pilot program to allow housing in 3 areas in the coastal zone without having to get a coastal permit.
www.gov.ca.gov/2025/10/06/g...

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 1d

AB 628 does allow tenants and landlords to mutually agree for a tenant to bring or buy their own fridge, with the provision that the tenant can decide later to request the landlord provide a fridge.

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 1d

So there is another tenant protection bill that is pending that is somewhat related to this, AB 1414, which would give tenants the right to opt out of a 3rd-party internet plan that a landlord signs up a whole building for leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTe...

leginfo.legislature.ca.gov

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 1d

Yeah what was happening is that apartment gets rented out without a fridge, tenant has to buy a fridge, later on when the tenant moves out a couple years later it's not worth it to move the fridge so the landlord gets a free fridge off the tenant. That's the problem that AB 628 fixes.

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 1d

Among this year's LGBTQ rights state bills, the six California trans rights bills are:

Healthcare
AB1487
SB418

Privacy
AB82
AB1084
SB59
SB497
lgbtqcaucus.legislature.ca.gov/legislative-...

2025 Legislative and Budget Priorities | California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus

lgbtqcaucus.legislature.ca.gov

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 1d

The Governor still hasn't signed or vetoed any of the 15 LGBTQ rights bills, which include trans rights bills.

Call (916) 445-2841 btw 9am-5pm, ask him to sign all Legislative LGBTQ Caucus priority bills, or message anytime at www.gov.ca.gov/contact/ lgbtqcaucus.legislature.ca.gov/legislative-...

2025 Legislative and Budget Priorities | California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus

lgbtqcaucus.legislature.ca.gov

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 1d

The governor hasn't signed or vetoed any of the Legislative LGBTQ Caucus bills yet - I'm expecting them to be part of another day's batch.

Cautiously optimistic but continuing to make calls. lgbtqcaucus.legislature.ca.gov/legislative-...

2025 Legislative and Budget Priorities | California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus

lgbtqcaucus.legislature.ca.gov

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 1d

The 10-year rule got amended out. It just needs to be a functioning stove and fridge.

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Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 1d

Two bills around mobile homes were also signed, AB 391, which allows some notices to be sent electronically, and AB 806, which gives mobilehome owners the right to install AC or other cooling, regardless of park rules.

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