Blog
Sheetz v. County of El Dorado: SCOTUS Sets Legal Standard for Assessing Constitutionality of Developer Fees
A recent decision from the United States Supreme Court may mark the beginning of a shift in how courts review development impact imposed by school districts. Sheetz v. County of El Dorado, a case originating in California, held that courts must apply a higher level...
One Page Summary to Protect Your Lien, Stop Payment, & Payment Bond Rights as a Contractor in California
This downloadable guide outlines the key steps for contractors in California to protect their lien, stop payment notice, and payment bond rights on construction projects. It details the process from serving preliminary notices to potential legal actions for both...
Join Tao Rossini at the 45th Annual CASH Conference in Sacramento
Tao Rossini attorneys will be sharing their expertise and experience at the 45th annual conference of the California Coalition for Adequate School Housing in Sacramento from February 27 through March 1, 2024. Join us to learn more about complex school construction...
State Allocation Board Increases Level I School Impact Fees, Decreases School Facility Program Grant Amounts
On January 24, 2024, the State Allocation Board (“SAB”) increased the maximum Level 1 school impact fees districts can assess on construction by almost eight percent. The maximum Level 1 school impact fees for residential construction were increased from $4.79 to...
Maximizing School Impact Fees in Declining Enrollment Districts
Declining enrollment poses myriad challenges for California school districts.[1] One often overlooked challenge is assessing the maximum school impact fee authorized by Government Code section 65995 in a declining enrollment district. Many declining enrollment...
Must You Refund Developer Fees? Failure to Account for Unexpended Fees Puts You at Risk
The City of Palo Alto was recently required to return unexpended school impact fees,due to the City’s failure to make five-year findings
State Allocation Board Increases School Facility Program Grant Amounts
On January 25, 2023, the State Allocation Board (“SAB”) increased the per pupil grant amounts awarded to school districts qualifying for new construction or modernization funding under the School Facility Program (“SFP”). The 9.3 percent increase is the second highest...
Court of Appeal Limits Use of Greene Act Reimbursement Funds
A recent published case, Albert Bates et al., v. Poway Unified School District 83 Cal.App.5th 907 (hereafter Poway), restricts the uses to which reimbursements for school facilities projects under the Leroy F. Greene Act (“Greene Act”) can be put. The court clarified...
State Hardship Funding: Court of Appeal Rules Districts Can Keep Project Savings
In a case important to school districts relying on state construction hardship funding, the California Court of Appeal has ruled that school districts are entitled to keep state hardship funds not spent on projects completed underbudget. San Bernadino City Unified...