Latest news with #AWG
Business Wire
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
AWG Responds to San Diego Housing Policy Changes: ‘We're Just Getting Started'
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the wake of recent changes to the City of San Diego's ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) Density Bonus Program, Atlas West Group (AWG)—widely regarded as the region's most forward-thinking infill and ADU developer—announced today that it is expanding its business strategy to meet the evolving needs of California's housing market. 'We saw signs of turbulence at City Hall over a year ago,' said Daniel Shkolnik, CEO and founder of AWG. 'That's why we've spent the past 12 months preparing for a new landscape – so we can continue to lead, not follow.' AWG's approach was recently highlighted in The San Diego Union-Tribune, where Shkolnik underscored the ADU bonus program's impact on workforce housing—and AWG's outsize role in accelerating infill development. 'We recognized the power of the program to move the needle,' Shkolnik said in the story, which spotlighted AWG's leadership in the region's infill housing boom. Affordable housing savior or neighborhood destroyer? Meet the developer behind San Diego's biggest ADU projects Now, despite the city's rollback of key ADU incentives, AWG isn't slowing down—it's shifting gears. The firm will continue leveraging remaining ADU tools where effective, but is aggressively expanding into new for-sale housing: townhomes, rowhomes, and condominiums that meet urgent regional demand and serve underserved buyer segments. 'This is a natural evolution,' Shkolnik said. 'We're doubling down on what we've always done — delivering smart, urban infill housing — but now we're building for both renters and buyers. We're especially focused on delivering starter homes and attainable housing options for young families, first-time buyers, and seniors, the people who have been priced out of San Diego's housing market.' AWG will remain a dominant force in the ADU space — leveraging its expertise to continue delivering for-rent infill housing through existing density tools. Simultaneously, the firm is actively embracing new policy opportunities like AB 1033, which unlocks pathways for the development of more for-sale housing in urban neighborhoods. 'We've built our reputation by thinking differently and acting early,' Shkolnik said. 'We've never waited for permission or consensus – we've led. Being a maverick isn't a marketing line for us. It's our business model.' With a growing pipeline of both rental and for-sale housing, AWG is doubling down on innovation, execution, and impact, positioning itself to lead the next wave of housing solutions across California — one project, one neighborhood, and one family at a time. ABOUT: Atlas West Group is a privately held full-service development and investment firm operating throughout San Diego County. The company is a premier provider of urban-infill housing and specializes in transforming underutilized properties into vibrant multifamily communities. Atlas West utilizes innovative permitting programs and creative construction strategies to bring out-of-the-box solutions to the region's housing shortage and affordability crisis. The Atlas West team brings decades of experience to real estate development projects, giving the firm the network, reach, and insights needed to navigate complex situations and deliver results.
The Guardian
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Australian production companies may have to pay millions in alleged unpaid super after ATO ruling
Major Australian production companies, including those that produce Neighbours and Home and Away, may be ordered to pay workers millions of dollars in alleged unpaid superannuation after a 2024 tax office ruling. The Australian Writers Guild (AWG) is gearing up for a challenge against Screen Producers Australia (SPA), after a ruling by the Australian Tax Office last December found that screenwriters in most cases were providing a service to an employer, not selling a product, and therefore must be paid super. The ruling, which was in line with the Superannuation Guarantee Act, means that for long-running television shows, decades of super backpay could apply, although the statute of limitations for an individual employee in Australia is six years. Both parties are now seeking legal advice, while the AWG said it has not ruled out a class action or a strike to challenge what it describes as SPA's 'legally dubious' position. The 2023 screenwriters strike in the US lasted 148 days and after the actors union Sag-Aftra joined the strike, film production in Hollywood and abroad – including some shoots in Australia – was stalled for months. That strike was largely about unfair compensation and the unchecked use of AI. The AWG is a guild, not a union, and therefore is under no legally binding obligation to seek protected action. While the Australian guild's chief executive, Claire Pullen, said the possibility of a wildcat strike further down the road had not been ruled out, she was acutely aware of the financial stress this would place its members under. Screenwriter Peter Mattessi, the president of the guild, said many Australian production houses continue to treat legally mandated employer contributions as optional extras in industry contracts. 'It's not negotiable. You're not bartering over a clause in a contract,' said Mattessi, a writer on EastEnders, Return to Paradise and The Heights. 'This is legislation. It's meant to protect workers. Yet some producers treat it like it's an option … it's as though legal compliance is discretionary. 'It's not just a contract quirk – it's sustained denial and it amounts to wage theft.' Mattessi said earlier in his career he had written for Neighbours, produced by Fremantle, and Home and Away, produced by Seven Productions, and alleged neither company had paid super to their writers. The Guardian is aware of at least two former scriptwriters on Home and Away who took their complaints to the ATO, which ruled in the writers' favour. But the AWG said it was not reasonable to expect every screenwriter in the country to individually apply to the ATO to assert their superannuation rights. 'Our members are engaged in such a precarious way as it is, contract to contract,' Pullen said. 'If it's put to you as a choice between enforcing your right to superannuation or not getting the job, it's pretty obvious which choice creative workers are going to make.' Attempts to convince the ATO that it needed to tackle industry-wide non-compliance had hit a bureaucratic roadblock, she said. 'Essentially, what we got back from the ATO was: 'if any individual wants to raise a matter, we'll look into it'. But they won't deal with systemic non-compliance.' In information circulated by SPA to its members last year (Fremantle is a SPA member but Seven Productions is not), it advised that while some services from scriptwriters do attract super, standard contracts show that writers who are commissioned to write a script are paid for the acquisition of their intellectual property rights of that work. 'The fee is not paying for services; the fee is paying for the assignment of copyright and various usage of the work,' the advice said. In a statement provided to the Guardian, SPA's chief executive, Matthew Deaner, said: 'While we can't comment on any specific matter, nor has this issue been formally raised by the writers guild, we note that the industry framework agreements with the guild envisage writers being paid under different fee types depending on what has been contracted. Superannuation obligations are then determined in accordance with the relevant legislation.' The Superannuation Act states that 'who is paid to perform services in, or in connection with, the making of any film, tape or disc or of any television or radio broadcast is an employee of the person liable to make the payment.' The AWG argues this includes film and television scriptwriters, and in a December 2024 clarifying ruling, the ATO went on to emphasise 'a person engaged to write a script is performing services', and therefore owed super – as opposed to a writer who takes their existing script to a producer who buys it, in which case 'they are merely selling property.' An ATO spokesperson said application of the relevant subsection of the act needed to be made on a payment-by-payment basisand its review and audit program into the non-payment of super did enable it to focus on 'particular industries or employer groups as part of their compliance actions'. The assistant treasurer, Fremantle and Seven Productions have not responded to the Guardian.
Zawya
16-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
WaHa raises $8mln Series A-1 funding to boost growth in Mideast
UAE - Water Harvesting (WaHa) announced the closing of an $8 million Series A-1 financing and corporate reorganisation. This financing eliminates all debt, simplifies WaHa's cap table, and provides capital for the company to achieve its next commercial milestones and close its next funding round. It also supports a growing pipeline of qualified sales opportunities across the UAE and GCC, where field trials at Khalifa University have proven its ability to harvest pure water reliably in the UAE's harsh desert environment of extreme heat, low moisture, and frequent sandstorms. The round was led by Chairman Mike Phillips and Board member Christian Thirion, with participation from WaHa's largest noteholders and investors including Berkeley Catalyst Fund, Anthropocene Institute, Vestafund, and Mitsui Mining & Smelting. Since 2023, WaHa's atmospheric water generation (AWG) systems have been deployed in challenging environments including West Texas, Abu Dhabi, a remote UAE desert site, Riyadh, and Stockholm. These systems have achieved 99.998% mechanical reliability and produced 98.3% of target water volume—the highest sustained output in the AWG industry. The company's 14 patent families, with 18 patents granted worldwide, protect its proprietary WaHa Vaporator technology, a modular system supporting off-grid installations and integration with HVAC and agricultural systems. WaHa will unveil its first commercially available AWG unit at the WETEX 2025 exhibition in Dubai (September 30 – October 2), showcasing solutions for utilities, developers, and industrial operators seeking reliable, sustainable access to pure water. 'We've built a platform capable of transforming access to water across multiple sectors,' said Mike Phillips, Chairman, WaHa. 'This raise will enable us to establish solid traction for the WaHa Vaporator and improve water security in the UAE and broader GCC.' 'We're grateful for the support of our investors and partners,' added Frank Ramirez, CEO of WaHa. 'This is a major step toward delivering water where it's needed most—reliably, efficiently, and sustainably. We're proud of what our team has achieved and energised for what's ahead.' Copyright 2024 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Business Wire
14-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Amin Wasserman Gurnani Expands its Leading Prop 65 Practice with Partner Additions
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Amin Wasserman Gurnani (AWG) is pleased to announce the addition of partners Rebecca Lee and Jennifer Singh to the firm's Litigation and Prop 65 practice groups, expanding its team of highly experienced attorneys offering dispute resolution, trial practice, and Prop 65 counseling and litigation services. Amin Wasserman Gurnani Nabs Litigation/Prop 65 Duo Lee is a solutions-driven lawyer who works tirelessly to get the best results for clients involved in high-stakes commercial litigation and environmental matters. Particularly sought after for her deep knowledge of California's Prop 65, she advises clients on complex compliance matters and high-stakes litigation. She also helps clients develop and implement environmental management systems. Singh is a civil defense litigator with twenty years of experience who seeks to understand each client's priorities and goals to achieve the best resolution. Specializing in product and chemical regulation, she provides strategic legal counsel to businesses of all sizes from diverse industries, skillfully guiding clients through the complexities of litigation, enforcement actions, settlements, compliance programs, exposure assessments, and/or risk mitigation. She brings to her practice the unique experience of having tried two of the rare Proposition 65 cases that went to trial in California, delivering two wins for prominent food manufacturer clients. 'We see momentum on the horizon for Prop 65, the complexity of cases is growing, and we're scaling our practice to leverage these opportunities,' said Matthew Orr, co-head of the firm's Prop 65 and Litigation practices. 'Bringing on two partners of Rebecca and Jennifer's caliber reflects our commitment to anticipating emerging trends and providing innovative strategies that enable clients to stay ahead of potential enforcement matters.' 'Their proven track records and well-earned reputations for excellence make them an ideal fit for our team,' AWG partner Abhishek Gurnani added. 'We are adding depth to both our bench of trial and Prop 65 attorneys, enabling us to answer significant client demand with impressive legal talent.' 'I am excited to join AWG's team of incredibly talented lawyers who share my values and client-first focus,' said Rebecca Lee. 'The firm has a well-deserved reputation for superior litigation capabilities and sophisticated work in product counseling. I look forward to working alongside them.' Singh emphasized, 'I'm thrilled to join the firm's already strong litigation practice and expand its Proposition 65 skill set, and I know my clients will enjoy the benefits of working with a boutique firm with a renowned team of regulatory, consumer class action, and IP attorneys.' About Amin Wasserman Gurnani Amin Wasserman Gurnani is one of the nation's leading regulatory law firms with offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. The firm represents a sophisticated client base, including Fortune 500 companies, middle-market companies, and emerging companies, across the food and beverage, health and wellness, cosmetic, medical device, and consumer product industries. For more information, visit
Web Release
11-07-2025
- Business
- Web Release
WaHa Secures $8 Million in Series A-1 Funding to Accelerate Global Growth
Water Harvesting Inc. (WaHa) announced the close of an $8 million Series A-1 financing and corporate reorganization. The round was led by Chairman Mike Phillips and Board member Christian Thirion, with participation from WaHa's largest noteholders and investors including Berkeley Catalyst Fund, Anthropocene Institute, Vestafund, and Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd. This financing eliminates all debt, simplifies WaHa's cap table, and provides capital for the company to achieve its next major commercial milestones and close its next funding round. It also supports a growing pipeline of qualified sales opportunities across the UAE and GCC, where field trials at Khalifa University have proven its unique ability to harvest pure water reliably in the UAE's harsh desert environment of extreme heat, low moisture, and frequent sandstorms. Since 2023, WaHa's atmospheric water generation (AWG) systems have been deployed in challenging environments including West Texas, Abu Dhabi, a remote UAE desert site, Riyadh, and Stockholm. These systems have achieved 99.998% mechanical reliability and produced 98.3% of target water volume—the highest sustained output in the AWG industry. The company's 14 patent families, with 18 patents granted worldwide, protect its proprietary WaHa Vaporator® technology, a modular system supporting off-grid installations and integration with HVAC and agricultural systems. WaHa will unveil its first commercially available AWG unit at the WETEX 2025 exhibition in Dubai (September 30 – October 2), showcasing solutions for utilities, developers, and industrial operators seeking reliable, sustainable access to pure water. 'We've built a platform capable of transforming access to water across multiple sectors,' said Mike Phillips, Chairman, WaHa. 'This raise will enable us to establish solid traction for the WaHa Vaporator® and improve water security in the UAE and broader GCC.' 'We're grateful for the support of our investors and partners,' added Frank Ramirez, CEO of WaHa. 'This is a major step toward delivering water where it's needed most—reliably, efficiently, and sustainably. We're proud of what our team has achieved and energized for what's ahead.' WaHa is negotiating commercial agreements for manufacturing, distribution, and long-term service and support.
