The developer behind a proposed 259-unit housing project on Del Mar’s North Bluff is suing the city after more than a year of tense communications, alleging that the city’s repeated rejection of the project application...more
San Francisco’s state-mandated plan to raise building height limits to encourage housing production along transit corridors from the Sunset to the Richmond to the Marina came under criticism at the Planning Commission’s...more
Fullerton leaders have reached a settlement with the state over the city’s housing element. When looking at how much housing is needed in the state to meet the growing population, Fullerton’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation...more
Last February, two pro-housing groups sued a dozen Bay Area jurisdictions, including Cupertino, over their failure to meet the January 31, 2023, state deadline for housing elements detailing how they plan to approach...more
On December 14, 2023, Mayor Breed approved “Housing Constraints Legislation” passed by the City and County of San Francisco (City) Board of Supervisors, which is intended to streamline housing production, as required by the...more
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass last Wednesday announced a new executive order to reduce permitting time for housing by 25-30%, a move that could significantly expand housing production....more
The Biden administration is launching a multi-agency effort to encourage states and cities to convert more empty office buildings into housing units, with billions of federal dollars available to help spur such transitions....more
11/10/2023
/ Affordable Housing ,
Biden Administration ,
California ,
CEQA ,
Homeless Issues ,
Housing Developers ,
HUD ,
Office Space ,
Property Tax ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Vacant Properties
After more than two years of resistance, the city of Coronado, a wealthy island city in San Diego County, has agreed to follow state housing law by setting aside more land for development, Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney...more
Governor Newsom recently approved multiple state housing bills passed by the State Assembly and Senate. The following is a summary of a few of the key bills that are expected to benefit multi-family, mixed-income housing...more
10/13/2023
/ Affordable Housing ,
CEQA ,
Commercial Buildings ,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ,
Governor Newsom ,
Housing Developers ,
Low Income Housing ,
Multi-Family Housing ,
Office Space ,
Prevailing Wages ,
Rental Property ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Vacant Properties
The Biden administration last Thursday announced further steps to lower housing costs and boost supply. The administration is looking to incentivize municipalities to lift restrictive land use and zoning policies by...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
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
Rent control expands as tenants struggle with the record-high cost of housing -
NPR – November 28 -
In November, voters in Florida, Maine, and California approved ballot measures to impose or tighten caps on rent hikes....more
12/6/2022
/ Bay Area ,
California ,
CARB ,
Environmental Policies ,
Housing Developers ,
Housing Market ,
Low-Income Issues ,
Real Estate Development ,
Rent Control ,
Rental Property ,
Roads ,
Sustainable Projects ,
Urban Planning & Development
Biden administration approves $250M for energy efficiency upgrades in homes and businesses - The Hill – November 15 - The Biden administration announced that it will allocate $250 million in formula funding for energy...more
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
The so-called “Builder’s Remedy” under the Housing Accountability Act (HAA) is punitive and applies when a local jurisdiction has not adopted a revised Housing Element in compliance with state law, in which case the local...more
San Francisco Board of Supervisors approves new fourplex law - San Francisco Chronicle – October 17 - For the second time this year, San Francisco supervisors have passed legislation allowing fourplexes to be built in every...more
New limits recommended for building homes in high-risk wildfire areas in California - The Mercury News – October 10 - At a news conference in San Diego County on October 10, California Attorney General Rob Bonta released...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
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
If approved by Governor Newsom, Assembly Bill (AB) 2011 would provide for “by right” streamlined ministerial (i.e., no CEQA) approval of qualifying mixed-income and affordable housing projects along commercial corridors in...more
California voters to decide on repeal of anti-public housing measure in 2024 Los Angeles Times – September 2 Nearly 75 years after amending the state Constitution to make it harder to build public housing, California voters...more
Two state bills may mean new housing in commercial corridors Bullet The Mercury News – August 30 In another effort to ease California’s housing crunch, state lawmakers this week pushed through two bills making it easier to...more