Office-to-Apartment Conversions – A Good Idea, but Tricky to Pull Off (Audio)
The Massachusetts Affordable Homes Act (H. 4977), signed into law on August 6, 2024, includes provisions intended to promote residential housing construction. These provisions: (1) require municipalities to permit accessory...more
This is part two of my three-part series on common misperceptions about the vacation rental industry in Oregon. Last week, I explained why vacation rentals are important drivers of local economies. This week, I take on the...more
Several cities in California successfully petitioned for a writ of mandate seeking the invalidation of California Senate Bill 9 (the HOME Act)....more
Officials broke ground Monday on a new high-speed rail system that will connect Southern California and Las Vegas. The Brightline West system will average speeds of about 115 miles per hour and reach a top speed of around 200...more
On March 28, 2024, the Adams Administration announced that its City of Yes for Housing Opportunity zoning proposal would, if approved by the City Council, introduce new, higher-density residential zoning districts to New York...more
Governor Gavin Newsom, whose second and final term ends in January 2027, has made curbing homelessness and increasing housing key priorities. However, his recent budget cut proposal contains more than $1.2 billion in cuts...more
San Diego’s Planning Commission unanimously voted last Thursday against a key part of Mayor Todd Gloria’s housing plan that would have eliminated single-family zoning in much of the city. The commission voted to recommend the...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
UC Berkeley ordered to freeze enrollment due to CEQA lawsuit Associated Press – March 3 The California Supreme Court ordered UC Berkeley last Thursday to freeze its undergraduate enrollment at 2020-21 levels...more
The economy is strong and growing — perhaps too quickly as the labor market remains tight. A surprising number of people are choosing to stay out of the labor market, for now, contributing to the supply chain disruptions...more
San Jose considers end to single-family zoning in historic neighborhoods - The Real Deal – December 6 - While some California residents are fighting Senate Bill 9, a new state law targeted at ending traditional...more
As in previous years, the California Legislature passed a large volume of laws related to housing in the 2021 legislative session. (See Holland & Knight's previous annual recaps of California Housing Laws in the final section...more
Los Angeles streamlines ADU permitting with over-the-counter ADU templates - Los Angeles Times – March 5 - A new initiative by Eric Garcetti’s office in collaboration with Building and Safety aims to change the...more
DOE orders sweeping review of Trump energy efficiency rules - The Hill – February 19 - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will review several of the Trump administration’s most controversial energy rules, teeing up a...more
Berkeley considers ending single-family zoning - The Mercury News – February 12 - Berkeley was the first city in the nation to introduce “exclusionary zoning” in the early 1900s, and now it could be one of the first...more
Biden executive order lays foundation for restoring fair housing rule - The Real Deal – January 27 - President Joe Biden has taken the first step toward reinstating a fair housing rule that was repealed last year. The...more
In a charge that demonstrates the perils of acting even in what is perceived to solve a need, the City of Arlington, Texas has now been sued by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) related to their efforts...more
California bill would allow a duplex on most single-family parcels - Los Angeles Times – August 26 - The California Assembly is considering a bill, authored by state Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego),...more
Part 5: New California Housing Laws - As part of its response to California’s housing crisis, the Legislature passed a handful of new laws that further limit local regulation of accessory dwelling units, or ADUs. The...more
A rent control initiative titled the “Affordable Housing Act” — but criticized by others as the “California Housing Freeze” — has qualified as Proposition 10 on the November 2018 ballot. What is it?...more
Local governments may not rely on zoning rules to prohibit renters in multi-family housing developments. Many local governments (and residents) prefer property owners living in their communities rather than tenants. This...more
California Coastal Act Blocks Housing Project in Venice Despite Earlier Approvals - Judge James C. Chalfant of the California Court of Appeal on Sept. 29, 2016, affirmed a lower court ruling denying a developer’s petition...more
On October 19, 2015, the Federal Housing Finance Agency issued a Final Notice indicating that it will continue to use “expanded-data” House Price Index when establishing Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae’s maximum conforming loan...more