Focus
Mayor Lurie’s ‘family zoning’ plan could reshape S.F. neighborhoods, add 36,000 new homes
San Francisco Chronicle – April 3
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has released a rezoning plan to allow taller buildings along transit routes from the Marina to the Sunset and Richmond districts, changes he said would accommodate 36,000 new housing units while reshaping parts of the city that have seen little construction in the past 50 years. The latest proposal — Lurie calls it “family zoning” rather than “upzoning” — focuses on “high resource” parts of the city that have typically resisted change and have seen few housing units added since the 1960s.
News
Los Gatos files lawsuit to clarify California’s ‘builder’s remedy’ law
SiliconValley – April 3
The town of Los Gatos filed a lawsuit on March 28 in Santa Clara County Superior Court seeking to clarify the application process for builder’s remedy housing projects. According to state housing law, developers have 180 days after submitting a preliminary application to submit a full application for a builder’s remedy housing project, or their preliminary application will expire. After that, they have 90 days to resolve any missing information in their applications. Los Gatos interpreted the law to mean that there was only one 90-day period in which developers can remedy any issues with their applications. However, the California Department of Housing and Community Development stated that a developer can have successive 90-day periods to fix their applications that could run indefinitely.
Please see our prior alert for information on significant amendments to the builder’s remedy, effective on January 1, 2025.
Court rejects San Diego County’s transportation plan
San Diego Reader – April 1
San Diego County has lost again in a dispute with environmental groups over its transportation guidelines for new development. On March 28, California’s Fourth District Court of Appeals reversed a Superior Court of San Diego County decision that upheld the county’s 2022 transportation study guide. The plaintiffs argued that the county’s plan would lead to more driving, not less, the opposite of what Senate Bill 743, a state law that took effect in 2018, intended.
Los Angeles City Council moves toward allowing single-staircase apartment buildings
Los Angeles Daily News – April 3
The Los Angeles City Council on April 2 laid the groundwork for allowing single-staircases in six-story apartment buildings. The proposal, initiated by council members Nithya Raman and Katy Yaroslavsky and approved on a 14-0 vote, directs city agencies to return within 90 days with proposed changes to the city’s building code. The plan would permit a single-exit, single-stairwell layout, departing from longstanding requirements for double staircases in multifamily buildings.
San Francisco legislation proposes creation of new ‘entertainment zones’
CBS News – April 7
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie this Monday announced legislation that would create five new “entertainment zones” intended to support small businesses. The entertainment zones temporarily shutter streets to vehicles to increase foot traffic for public events, which in turn boost sales for local stores.
L.A. housing authority turning luxury Woodland Hills apartments into affordable housing
Los Angeles Times – April 3
Built in 2020, the luxury Clarendon Apartments complex in Woodland Hills feature poolside cabanas, a fire pit terrace, and 24-hour community room with a kitchen and a billiard table. In December, the 335-unit complex was acquired by the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, which is in the process of turning it into a mixed-income property, while retaining the luxury amenities. The authority, which used a unique form of financing, sees the acquisition as a model to expand its affordable housing portfolio.
State certifies Lafayette’s Housing Element
Patch – April 1
Two years after beginning the process, the California Department of Housing and Community Development certified the city of Lafayette’s eight-year Housing Element on March 28. Lafayette needed to plan and zone for 2,114 units: 599 at the very-low-income level, 344 at the low-income level, 326 at the moderate-income level, and 845 above-market-rate. The city’s celebration may be short-lived. In March, an advocacy group filed a lawsuit against Lafayette over its Housing Element.
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