Oakland can no longer plant trees or build gardens. But we can.   (THE OAKLANDSIDE) Oaklandside reported that the volunteer organization I founded, and others, are stepping into to fill the void left when Oakland stopped planting trees in 2008. 275 acres of...

Betting on Oakland Residential Development   (SF GATE) I wrote this opinion piece in 2014 before Oakland caught on as the right place to build housing in the East Bay. At the time this was due to its many advantages, including comparatively low prices, robust...

Turn Tax-defaulted Properties Into Housing   (SF CHRONICLE) I wrote this San Francisco Chronicle Opinion Piece in 2016, but it is still relevant today. Abandoned properties in Alameda County, are a great opportunity to build affordable housing. The article is...

Chronicle Editorial: Environmental Law Misused by Unions Kills Housing   (SF CHRONICLE) This San Francisco Chronicle editorial references my client’s residential project. It was highlighting how trade unions are stalling or killing housing. This relates to the...

HAPPY SUMMER SEASON! This edition highlights an impending effort to reduce the time and cost to build modest sized residential developments, as well as forces that may make affordable housing more expensive. In addition, we showcase a relatively quick way to reforest...

ROB SELNA QUOTED IN SF BUSINESS TIMES ON OAKLAND BUILDING PERMITS   (SF BUSINESS TIMES) In this article, I share my thoughts about the automation of Oakland’s building permits.  The city purportedly is implementing changes to its building permit system, aiming to...

HOW A FEW UNIONS ARE HIJACKING CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL LAW (SF CHRONICLE) I wrote an opinion piece that sheds light on the misuse of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) by local construction trade unions.  The 2022 piece, published in the Chronicle,...