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California’s New Composting Law

By Aaron A. Hayes, Esq.

This article first appeared in our Fall 2022 Communicator Magazine.

Green compost bins will soon join California’s familiar blue recycle bins along our curbs as the latest trend in waste management. While already familiar in some areas, Senate Bill ("S.B.") 1383 extends mandatory organic waste composting statewide as part of California’s comprehensive Short-Lived Climate Pollutants strategy.

S.B. 1383’s stated goal is to substantially reduce organic waste in landfills by requiring cities and towns to collect compostable waste separately from other refuse, then divert it to approved organic processing facilities. Although S.B. 1383 became effective January 1, 2022, local jurisdictions have until January 2024 to become fully compliant.

SIGNIFICANCE OF SB 1383 FOR COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS

Planned Developments

Planned developments consisting of single-family homes will likely see little...

By: Amy Davis

On a Thursday morning, I received the call that no daughter ever wants to receive. It was from my mom and her car was surrounded by fire. At the same time that I was taking my mom’s call, my dad and stepmom were sending me videos of several fires on the opposite side of town from where my mom was located. This was Paradise, California, November 8th, 2018.

November 11, 2018, I flew to Chico to be with family and friends and to help them with their insurance claims. Almost immediately, the question arose, “Can we just cut our losses and move?” The answer was an easy “yes.” Fortunately for survivors of the Camp Fire and future wildfire victims, California has passed several laws aimed at protecting persons whose interests are covered under insurance policies following a declared disaster.

Insureds whose homes are a total loss can now use a greater amount of their policies’ coverages to purchase an existing home or rebuild elsewhere....