In a sweeping effort to expand affordable housing and combat homelessness, Representative Maxine Waters of California introduced a package of three bills on June 21 aimed at narrowing the country’s racial wealth gap....more
As we reported in our prior legal alert, these important new state housing laws will allow for the streamlined approval of qualifying housing development projects on properties where retail, office and/or parking are...more
Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration filed a lawsuit against Elk Grove on Monday, claiming the city discriminated against low-income residents when it denied an affordable housing project last July. California Attorney...more
AB 2011 (Wicks) provides for “by right” streamlined ministerial (i.e., no CEQA) approval of qualifying mixed-income and affordable housing projects along commercial corridors in commercial zoning districts. This new law is...more
New legislation recently introduced by San Francisco Mayor Breed and Supervisor Peskin, is aimed at revitalizing commercially-zoned properties in the greater downtown area. The intent of the legislation is to “address twin...more
A federal appeals court on Monday overturned Berkeley’s first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas in new construction, agreeing with restaurant owners who argued the city bypassed federal energy regulations when it approved the...more
There has been a flurry of recent legislation to encourage the repurposing of underutilized office buildings, both on the state and local level. New legislation recently proposed in San Francisco would facilitate the...more
On April 19, 2023 the California Supreme Court denied the petition for review of the Save Livermore Downtown v. City of Livermore decision issued by the California First District Court of Appeal, which was filed by opponents...more
Housing advocates touted the “Builder’s Remedy” as a clever way to circumvent NIMBY politics and get more housing built. But in the two months since the law has been available to Bay Area developers, few have submitted...more
The U.S. Interior Department last Thursday proposed a new program that would allow it to offer leases of public land for conservation purposes, in much the same way as it currently offers acreage for drilling, mining, and...more
San Francisco leaders have a new plan to make it easier for developers to convert office buildings to housing downtown and in swaths of SoMa and Union Square....more
A proposed California bill, Assembly Bill 68, would make it harder to build subdivisions in areas prone to fires or flooding. State Assembly Member Chris Ward, who is carrying the bill, said California has enabled an...more
Governor Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta have filed a lawsuit accusing the city of Huntington Beach of violating state housing laws, seeking a preliminary injunction against the city....more
Governor Gavin Newsom said he will work this year to reform a landmark state environmental law that he says has been weaponized by wealthy homeowners to block badly-needed housing for students at UC Berkeley....more
A consortium of San Francisco landlords and property owners filed a lawsuit last week challenging the city’s new tax on vacant residences as unconstitutional and a violation of state law. Proposition M, “The Empty Homes Tax,”...more
In response to rent payments soaring across the country in recent years, the Biden administration unveiled new actions last Wednesday to protect tenants, make renting more affordable, and improve fairness in the rental...more
After years of record budget surpluses, California now faces a projected $22.5 billion budget deficit, Governor Gavin Newsom announced last week. As part of a required adjustment in state spending, Newsom proposed cutting...more
1/20/2023
/ Affordable Housing ,
Budget Cuts ,
California ,
Commercial Buildings ,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ,
Flood Zones ,
Governor Newsom ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Homeless Issues ,
Land Developers ,
Multi-Family Housing ,
Shopping Malls ,
State Agencies ,
State Budgets
California’s Second District Court of Appeal recently affirmed that a shorter 90-day statute of limitations, and not a longer three- or four- year statute of limitations, applies to Political Reform Act (PRA) claims that...more
California air regulators voted unanimously last Thursday to approve an ambitious plan to drastically cut reliance on fossil fuels by changing practices in the energy, transportation, and agriculture sectors, but critics say...more
The Mercury News – December 6-
Just one day after the start of the new legislative session, Senator Scott Wiener announced Senate Bill 4 — the “Affordable Housing on Faith Lands Act.” The bill would remove red tape for...more
12/14/2022
/ Affordable Housing ,
California ,
Churches ,
Community Development ,
Eviction ,
Housing Developers ,
Landlords ,
Moratorium ,
Stanford University ,
Wildfires ,
Wildlife Protection
A developer's guide to the Builder's Remedy - Allen Matkins – November 4 -
The so-called "Builder's Remedy" under the Housing Accountability Act (HAA) is disciplinary and applies when a local jurisdiction has not adopted a...more
Governor Newsom signs bill to fast-track climate-friendly transportation projects Bullet CBS News – September 30 Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a bill that would fast-track approval of bicycle, rapid bus, light rail, and...more
New state laws allow housing on commercial properties - Multi-Housing News – September 30 - Governor Gavin Newsom has signed two bills into law that incentivize developers to convert commercial properties into much-needed...more
Governor Newsom signs Senator Dodd’s affordable housing bill - Sonoma Index-Tribune – September 21 - Governor Gavin Newsom on September 19 signed into law affordable housing legislation authored by Senator Bill Dodd. Senate...more
Los Angeles County commits to lifting eviction moratorium by year’s end - Los Angeles Times – September 14 - Los Angeles County will move forward with a plan to lift its pandemic-era eviction moratorium and other renter...more