a $100 billion problem. economists argue there is no quick fix. still, chris moore, working on the next rental, knows what a lifesaver it's been for him. >> they have given us a second chance. >> reporter: in the few point, waypoint partners hopes to work with lenders like fannie mae and freddie mac to acquire homes. they hope that will be more direct paths rather than waiting for foreclosure. >> they are buying these homes at below market prices. are they renting them back at below market or are they charging market prices for the rents. >> reporter: they say they have competitive market rises for the rents. they are a little higher than some but that's because they offer programs to help people get out of debt, as well. so they say that justifies some of the slightly higher costs. >> all right. christin ayers, thank you. hundreds of oakland city workers are on notice tonight. they could be out of a job next week. the city says pink slips will start going out wednesday to more than 200 workers in nearly every department except public safety. that's due to a $30 million cutback in state redevelopment funds that used to pay their salaries. the city says employees with seniority could later be reassigned. but for now, all the workers can do is wait. >> i have been hear bits and pieces but i'm unsure of the details. this is the first time that i have known that it's been like this widespread but i'm not sure. so i'm not sure if it's going to affect me or not but sounds like it might. >> the city says the layoffs will only make up for part of the funding loss. it also froze hiring and asked all departments to cut their budgets by 5% by tomorrow. the defense attorney for san francisco sheriff ross mirkarimi says that if the sheriff is charged with domestic violence, that will probably happen tomorrow. today dozens of antidomestic violence advocates called for his resignation. the wife, ileana lopez, made an undercover appearance in the background with dark sunglasses and scarf. she went mostly unnoticed but told sf weekly she had no comment. mrs. mirkarimi has said the accusations against her husband have been taken out of context. but anti-domestic violence advocates say mirkarimi needs to step down until the investigation is complete. >> violence towards women and children is of the utmost priority and we cannot have elected officials who are being under investigation for these to be leading the public safety officers of the city and county of san francisco. >> a neighbor reported to police that mirkarimi grabbed his wife's arm on new year's eve with enough force to cause a bruise. according to our exclusive poll, 42% of people following the mirkarimi investigation think that he should stay in office. the same number think he should take a leave of absence. 12% say that he should resign. meanwhile, 30% say that he should be charged with a crime, 28% say he should not be charged. 43% tell surveyusa, they're not sure. a bank robbery and bomb scare caused a major traffic headache in the south bay today. it started when police say two men robbed a bank of america in san jose late this morning. investigators say the robbers then crashed their car on highway 85 near the northbound 87 connector. len ramirez with how it happened and the hero who helped nab one of the suspects. len. >> reporter: that's right. it has been quite a day here in south san jose. things are now getting back to normal after a bank robbery, bomb scare, a red alert here at gunderson high school and as you mentioned, even some citizen heroics. reporter: for several hours the lanes of highway 85 in south san jose were empty. police closed off the freeway in both directions and sent a bomb-detecting robot to a crash vehicle allegedly used in a bank robbery to look for explosives. it all started when two men told tellers they had a bomb and robbed the bank of america at snell and blossom hill at about 11:30 a.m. >> one suspect waited outside as a getaway driver. the second suspect entered the bank with a device. we don't have information on the device but suffice to say the threat was that it would blow up. >> reporter: the robbers got away with an unknown amount of cash. while some officers responded to the bank, others covered freeway ramps to head off the robbers. minutes later came reports of a crash of what turned out to be the getaway car on the northbound lanes of highway 85. >> them trying to flee the scene and maybe some erratic driving had something to do with it. >> reporter: police captured one suspect at the scene. a citizen helped hold down the suspect until police got there. the other suspect hopped a fence to the campus of gunderson high school. he was eventually captured on the athletic field. he too was eventually captured. for an hour students and teachers were barricaded in classrooms. some texted or called parents. >> it was scary. i had to call my mom. my mom was freaking out. i was shaking. it was crazy. >> reporter: students were later sent home on time. the only threat that remained was the possibility of the bomb still in the suspects' car. after a police bomb squad member in full explosive gear approached the vehicle in person, the device was detonated. and it wasn't long after that detonation that the freeway was allowed to reopen. meantime, police station say one of the suggestion respects had to be taken to the hospital as a result of injuries he suffered during the crash. police also said dana, that they wanted to thank a citizen named steve brown who apparently saw the crash, saw the suspects trying to get away and apparently tackled and held the suspect down until police got there with handcuffs. >> thank you, len ramirez. pg&e violated a number of state and safety regulations leading to the deadly san bruno pipeline explosion. that's the conclusion of the california public utilities commission. that's the conclusion of the california public utilities commission. it says pg&e failed to follow accepted industry practice when it installed the section of pipe that failed in september of 2010. the cpuc will now consider penalties. pg&e responded today by saying, quote, it is clear past gas operations practices were not what they should have been. we have admitted these shortcomings and we are committed to raising the level of pipeline safety to new higher standards. it can be difficult to recover from a house fire and worse when it happens again. by no accident. mark sayre on the house belonging to a single mother hit by a firebug twice. >> reporter: investigators trying to get to the bottom of the case. investigators still here have flashlights out. they have now lit up the garage. they say it is unusual to be called to the same home twice for an arson-relate call so the big questions are, who did it and why? reporter: as far as residential neighborhoods go, it doesn't get much quieter than this tree-lined street but there is a sign in the front of one home here alerting everyone to the fact that there's an arsonist at work and close to 1 a.m., neighbors were again awakened by the sound of emergency vehicles and flames pouring from this home. >> it lasted about two, 2 1/2 hours so it was an intense fire. there were 10 or so fire trucks on the scene and maybe 20 firefighters. >> reporter: santa clara county arson investigators say this is the second time they have been to this home and for the second time, they have now determined that an arsonist is responsible. investigators meticulously documented the scene, cutting out a portion of the garage door and marking areas with evidence tags. they also took plenty of photographs. >> when we got here, the front of the garage door was on fire. >> reporter: dennis johnson with santa clara county fire says at this point don't have any suspect and don't have a motive and they cannot even conclusively link the two arson cases, which occurred less than three months apart. >> but it is a little unsettling. >> reporter: this neighbor says the entire neighborhood is on edge. >> a little bit scary living in a small community like this and having this happen several times within a matter of months. >> reporter: the homeowner is a single mother of three kids. she has been living elsewhere since the original fire. really a tough situation but investigators here trying to get to the bottom of it as quickly as they can. back to you. >> pretty scary. mark, we were talking about how unusual it is for them to post that arson notice there. but also, there was a reward on that notice, too. >> reporter: indeed. the point of those signs is to make sure that everybody in this enabled knows that this was an arson -- that everyone in this neighborhood knows that this was an arson-related case. they might have seen something to help lead to the suspect and maybe they didn't recognize it or think it was important at the time. the reward, $10,000 for anyone who can come forward to help them crack this case. >> thank you, mark sayre. some students love it. others will hate it. soon a freedom will be banned from campuses across california. beginning in 2014, smoking and chewing tobacco won't be allowed at any uc school. the ban will also prohibit the sale of tobacco products in any building owned or rented by the university. other bay area headlines. the oakland as could find out soon whether they can move to san jose. baseball commissioner bed selig says that the league is working at a rather quick pace to resolve this issue. the as want to build a ballpark but giants have territorial rights to san jose and are fighting it. don't want a smartmeter in be prepared to pay. customers would pay a one-time opt out fee of $90 and another $15 a month. that under a plan backed by the state public utilities commission. pg&e initially wanted to charge a lot more but the puc said no. in going after the bad guys, the way they're doing it is to go after everybody. >> a private bay area company with license to track. how it's logging your every move and it's completely legal. living here is hell. >> it's supposed to be making things safer. why some bay area residents say a new caltrain project is too close for comfort. suddenly, these waves came out of nowhere. >> trapped under the surf and he couldn't get out. for the first time, action star gerard butler describes his scare at mavericks. ,,,,,, know where you've been late. so does the bay area company you own a car, chances are police know where you been lately. so does the bay area company that's keeping tabs on your trips. joe vazquez on how you're being watched and why. >> so we are reading that plate right there. >> reporter: it's a growing trend in law enforcement. mill valley police are one of many agencies that have mounted license plate scanners on their patrol cars. the camera takes a picture of every license plate as it goes by. then when it spots one that's wanted or belongs to a criminal -- >> it pops up on the screen. it says, high alert, and that alerts officer that it's matched on a plate in the system. >> reporter: now an east bay company is taking it a step further. vigilant video of livermore keeps an even larger database and keeps them in what is called the national vehicle location service. law enforcement agencies can access the national database and the company reports it has led to bad guys getting thrown in jail. missing children getting found. license plate photos are collected for the data base not just by law enforcement but by private citizens including repo companies, tow truck drivers looking for debtors are among the many people scanning and entering license plate photos as well as the car's location. so how long do they keep that information? and do they allow anyone besides law enforcement to access it? well, we asked but vigilant video denied our request for an interview. >> well, the problem is that in going after the bad guys, the way they're doing it is to go after everybody. >> reporter: lee tien with the electronic frontier foundation says we need to ask more questions about privacy even though you're not a criminal, what if that database tracking is shared with other law enforcement, prospective employers or divorce attorneys? >> so you have a gap, vacuum, a void where the law enforcement and the private actors are just jumping in and saying, hey, we can do this. but just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. >> reporter: just to be clear, police agencies like the mill valley police have restrictions on how long they can keep the video had has access to it but the concern is with the private company they are creating this database that won't have time constraints and who knows what they will do with it. could it be sold, subpoenaed? a lot of questions. >> thank you. another major setback for the state's beleaguered high- speed rail project. the ceo of the rail authority resigned today citing personal reasons. it will take effect in two months. and then minutes after that announcement, the chairman of the board stepped down. the resignations come a week after an independent panel came out with a scathing review refusing to recommend billions in bond money. dust, damage and nonstop noise. that's what hundreds of people living next to the caltrain tracks in san bruno are dealing with. the transit agency is trying to make its crossings safer but as patrick sedillo reports, some residents say it is too close for comfort. >> hell, living here is hell now. >> reporter: diane martin lives next to the tracks in san bruno. she says caltrans safety projects to elevate the tracks is driving her crazy. >> when do they stop? they don't. seven days a week. >> reporter: the noise has her on edge and the double paned windows don't help. >> it's like ak an earthquake every day. >> reporter: there are cracks in the walls, concrete and destroyed her wall clock and the biggest victim her nerves. >> migraines, depression. people say yeah, well, move. it's easier said than done. >> reporter: this fell off the wall because of construction. it says happy birthday anthony, 1977. these things can't be replaced. >> it's horrible. >> reporter: ruth young is leaving. >> we wanted to go to a place not so much noise when we come from work we can't relax. >> four, five, six. >> reporter: the new tracks are just 23 steps from her front door. >> it will be done next year. >> reporter: christine dunn of caltrans says to just hold on. upgrades are necessary for public safety and besides -- >> the tracks were here long before the houses were. >> reporter: so caltrans says to keep track of damage. >> and if you like, we're happy to come out to the site and take photographs with you and that way we have a record in case there's any kind of problems in the future. >> reporter: so are you financially responsible? >> i didn't say that. >> that's nothing. >> reporter: reporting from san bruno, patrick sedillo, cbs 5. we are hearing firsthand from actor gerard butler about his recent scare at mavericks. now, on a british talk show over the weekend, he described the moments after a set of 30- foot waves crashed down on him last month. >> i'm tumbling, tumbling, tumbling, going, going, going, thinking, okay i need to get up. then i felt the next wave go and all started all over again. >> butler said he was under water for nearly a minute before he was rescued. fortunately he was not seriously hurt. but he was there filming a scene for the upcoming film "of men and mavericks," in which plays renowned big wave surfer jay moriarty. ski resorts desperate for business, how you can take advantage of the dry winter in tahoe. and is this really what it takes to get your child into kindergarten? that's in two minutes. children into kindergarten. some south bay parents spent the night in their cars all to get their children into kindergarten. 43 parents camped out overnight at don callejon elementary school before today's registration period opened. 120 spots are available for next year's class and these determined parents are not taking any chances. >> it's a great school, neighborhood more importantly and i want my daughter and my children, i have a son 2 and daughter 5, to go to my neighborhood school. we are not guaranteed a spot even if we live within the boundaries of the school. >> that woman got the first registration appointment after being at the front of the line since yesterday afternoon. all right. really we doesn't need roberta to tell us again that the sierra is struggling with practically no snow. she might do that. but tahoe resorts are pulling out all the stops to bring in business. many offering special deals normally unheard of this time of the year. northstar is giving bargains such as a stay and ski free. they are making snow. a star-studded mountain also helps. >> people curious about shawn wyatt and the super pipe and the athletes training here now. >> this is such a quality resort we couldn't imagine that it would be a bad experience. >> for a little more than $100, two adults can stay at the village at squaw valley and ski all day. >> all right, roberta. when are they going to get storm relief? >> we are hoping keeping our fingers crossed for next wednesday, thursday. but right now, even the computer models are diverting on that. that is sad because yesterday it was 100% certain and today a big question mark but nevertheless, still tahoe happens to be one of the most beautiful places on earth and in the forecast, for your getaway friday 50 degrees. increasing clouds on the saturday and sunday and a chance of snow there by thursday. where there is a lack of snow there's a lack of rain. right now our percentage of normal stats anywhere between 25 and 31% of where we should be for this time of year compared to a healthy 111% in santa ros this time last year. los angeles had light precipitation in the overnight hours. meanwhile, we are still under the chill, that ridge of high pressure diverting storm track to the north and to the south. it's la nina and it looks like tomorrow we are going to see near or record warmth again. and so the bay area air quality district recommends no burning tomorrow. it is not a "spare the air" day but they are saying hey the air quality is improving. let's do our part. after highs today 61 in hayward to 70 in santa cruz and in oakland, we're currently in the 50s. it is now 53 in oakland through alameda. tonight overnight another frosty night in santa rosa, napa also in throughout the tri- valley. upper 30s to 40s across the central bay, 36 in san jose. tomorrow's daytime highs banking between 64 at the coast in pacifica to 69 degrees in santa rosa but check the seven- day forecast. going with an outside number of 72. that will be in salinas. we trend downward on saturday, then turn partly cloudy on sunday and on the holiday on monday, then now a chance of rain beginning in the north bay on wednesday and across the entire area on thursday. we'll talk more with that storm incoming system later on in this broadcast. >> thank you. a new approach to dealing with juvenile crime. >> all rise. >> the bay area teens being sentenced by a jury of their peers. why some of them say it's scarier than facing adults. it's horrible, reprehensible. and unacceptable. >> the united states in full damage control mode after a disturbing video involving marines goes viral. why it comes at a particularly sensitive time. i don't know where the money gone. it was a lot of money. >> taxpayers lost millions when an east bay solar company went belly up. so why is solyndra trying to hand out big bonuses to top executives? juvnenile prison system.. fo are already governor brown is pushing to close down the state's troubled juvenile prison system for good. but some bay area counties are already taking matters into their own hands and dealing with juvenile offenders before they commit