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All stories in Housing & Planning — newest first.
- Housing & Planning
Want to Make the Bathroom Safer for an Older Parent? Start With a Walk-Through
The National Institute on Aging recommends checking wet surfaces, grab bars, and nighttime lighting in bathrooms. Before making a permanent change, homeowners in Garden Grove, Westminster, or Fountain Valley should ask their local Building Division whether the specific work needs a permit.
- Housing & Planning
Garden Grove Offers Four Free ADU Plans. What Still Goes Into a Building Application?
Garden Grove offers four city-owned accessory dwelling unit plans, from a studio to a three-bedroom unit. The free architectural plans are not a complete, site-specific construction application.
- Housing & Planning
Planning a Home Repair? Five Checks Before You Pay a Contractor
A roof, bathroom, or electrical project may require permits and a clear written contract. California’s Contractors State License Board recommends checking a contractor’s license, comparing bids, and putting the scope of work in writing before a project begins.
- Housing & Planning
Westminster's Aug. 19 planning night: a claw-machine arcade wins approval on Bolsa, the 74-unit project loses its appeal 5–0 — and the density fight in your neighborhood now rests with a judge
In 75 minutes on the evening of August 19, 2026, Westminster's Planning Commission settled two matters. A Vietnamese American family got the permit to open a claw-machine arcade right on Bolsa Avenue. And the developer of the 74-unit project at 6351 Westminster Blvd saw its appeal denied in full. The first story is over. The second has only moved to Orange County Superior Court, where a judge will decide whether a city can raise its minimum building density while an application is already in the pipeline. That answer will reach far beyond one parking lot off the 405.
- Housing & Planning
Three cities are drawing a new face for Little Saigon: gateways, lanterns, bilingual signs — and no shop owner has to change a thing
On September 3, 2026, Garden Grove's Planning Commission took up the first shared design guidelines for Little Saigon, drafted jointly with Fountain Valley and Santa Ana. It's a rare thing: three cities treating Little Saigon as one district — and it could shape the look of the Bolsa area for years to come.
- Housing & Planning
A 74-home project is suing Westminster: if it wins, your neighborhood could be next
On the evening of August 19, 2026, Westminster's Planning Commission voted 5–0 to deny the developer's appeal on the 74-unit project at 6351 Westminster Blvd, leaving the city's decision in place. The bigger question — can a city tighten density rules while an application is in progress — is still before Orange County Superior Court, and the answer will reach every neighborhood in the area.