This fall, California voters will decide whether the state should continue prohibiting cities and counties from enacting or expanding rent control. If they vote “yes” in November, San Francisco could be ready to extend the...more
On September 19, 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom approved Assembly Bill (AB) 1893 (Wicks), which significantly modifies the “Builder’s Remedy” under the Housing Accountability Act (Government Code section 65589.5 et seq.) (HAA),...more
On September 19, 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom approved Assembly Bill (AB) 2243 (Wicks), which amends AB 2011 (Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act of 2022), effective January 1, 2025. As explained in our prior legal...more
9/20/2024
/ Affordable Housing ,
California ,
CEQA ,
Conversion Requirements ,
Environmental Assessments ,
Governor Newsom ,
Grandfathering Rules ,
Housing Developers ,
Housing Market ,
Mixed-Use Zoning ,
Real Estate Development ,
Setback Rules ,
State and Local Government ,
Urban Planning & Development
Elk Grove has settled a lawsuit with the state over a 67-unit supportive housing project the city denied, despite the fact that the city had recently approved a similar market-rate project. The lawsuit filed by Attorney...more
Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday signed two new bills that aim to boost housing supply and further address the state’s homelessness crisis....more
8/29/2024
/ Affordable Housing ,
California ,
CEQA ,
Eviction ,
Governor Newsom ,
Housing Developers ,
Low Income Housing ,
Real Estate Development ,
State and Local Government ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Wildfires
On June 27, 2024, the California First District Court of Appeal affirmed the denial of a writ petition challenging the City of Lafayette’s determination that a 12-unit residential condominium building qualified for the Class...more
8/13/2024
/ Affordable Housing ,
Bay Area ,
California ,
CEQA ,
City of Berkeley ,
Construction Project ,
Environmental Policies ,
Federal Funding ,
Housing Developers ,
Housing Market ,
Popular ,
Public Projects ,
Railways ,
Real Estate Development ,
University of California ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Maps
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed an executive order that aims to jumpstart infill housing development projects. The executive order was coupled with a $94 million award to 15 counties to also support building on...more
San Diego made ambitious changes this Tuesday to the city’s blueprint for future growth to help prepare the city for climate change, speed up revisions to neighborhood zoning plans, and try to reverse racial segregation....more
The Assembly Select Committee on Permitting Reform held its first hearing on June 18, 2024, commencing its efforts to address California’s housing and climate crises by reforming the state’s land use permitting regime....more
As detailed in our previous Legal Alert, six conservation groups filed a petition with the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) on March 5, 2024 to request the implementation of legal protections for five...more
AB 1893 (Wicks) is currently making its way through the state legislature and would modify the Builder’s Remedy under the Housing Accountability Act. This legal alert summarizes the significant amendments made to AB 1893 in...more
AB 1893 (Wicks) is currently making its way through the legislature and would modify the Builder's Remedy under the Housing Accountability Act (HAA). This legal alert summarizes the significant amendments made to AB 1893 in...more
A California Supreme Court ruling will allow student housing at University of California to be built at Berkeley's historic People's Park. In February 2023, a state appeals court in San Francisco had sided with the opponents,...more
6/13/2024
/ Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) ,
CA Supreme Court ,
California Fish and Game Commission ,
CEQA ,
Excessive Noise ,
Housing Developers ,
Housing Market ,
Proposed Rules ,
Student Housing ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Maps
Various state housing bills are currently making their way through the State Legislature that are expected to benefit mixed-income multifamily housing developers. AB 2243 would amend AB 2011. AB 1893 and AB 1886 would amend...more
The following is a summary of (i) the general procedural requirements for the disposal of surplus land by a local agency under the Surplus Land Act (SLA) (Gov. Code § 54220 et. seq.) and (ii) recent key amendments to the SLA....more
Various state housing bills are currently making their way through the State Legislature that are expected to benefit mixed-income multifamily housing developers. The following summaries reflect the status of the legislation...more
5/24/2024
/ Affordable Housing ,
California ,
CEQA ,
Conversion ,
Density Bonus ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Housing Market ,
Multi-Family Development ,
Natural Gas ,
Office Space ,
Real Estate Development
Assembly Bill (AB) 3068 (Haney, Quirk-Silva, and Wicks) would provide for the streamlined ministerial (i.e., no CEQA) approval of qualifying adaptive reuse projects involving the conversion of an existing building to...more
On April 24, 2024, a Los Angeles County Superior Court ruled that Senate Bill (SB) 9 does not apply to charter cities because it violates the authority granted to charter cities by the California Constitution to manage their...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 April 12, 2024, the Supreme Court of the United States issued its much-anticipated ruling in Sheetz v. County of El Dorado. The case concerned the legality of a local jurisdiction’s imposition of a traffic impact...more
4/22/2024
/ Affordable Housing ,
Construction Project ,
Fifth Amendment ,
George Sheetz v County of El Dorado ,
Housing Developers ,
Impact Fees ,
Multi-Family Development ,
National Parks ,
SCOTUS ,
Takings Clause ,
Traffic Impact Assessments
Across California and the nation, developers moved to start fewer homes in 2023, a decline some analysts say could send home prices and rents even higher as supply shortages worsen. Developers cite several reasons for...more
Two bills proposed to modify the Builder’s Remedy are currently making their way through the State Legislature. As currently proposed, AB 1893 (Wicks) would (i) reduce the required percentage of (lower income) affordable...more
Two bills proposed to modify the Builder's Remedy under the Housing Accountability Act (HAA) (Gov. Code § 65589.5(d)(5)) are currently making their way through the State Legislature. Assembly Bill (AB) 1893, proposed by...more
On March 19, 2024, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks introduced new amendments to pending Assembly Bill (AB) 2243, which would amend AB 2011 (operative as of July 1, 2023). As explained in our prior legal alert, AB 2011 provides for...more
On March 19, 2024, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks introduced new amendments to pending Assembly Bill (AB) 2243, which would amend AB 2011 (operative as of July 1, 2023). As explained in our prior legal alert, AB 2011 provides for...more