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
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
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
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
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
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
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
On October 11, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an extensive housing package consisting of 56 bills to help address California’s decades-in-the-making housing crisis by simplifying and expediting the construction of new...more
10/16/2023
/ Affordable Housing ,
Apartments ,
Brick-and-Mortar Stores ,
California ,
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Electric Vehicles ,
Fifth Amendment ,
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SCOTUS ,
Stanford University
The much-discussed push to revive downtown San Francisco by converting empty office buildings to housing is starting to gather momentum. Eight office building owners have responded to the city’s “request for information”...more
With the state facing a severe housing crisis, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law that will make it easier for universities and other housing developers to build housing and overcome lawsuits from local residents...more
9/21/2023
/ Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) ,
Affordable Housing ,
California ,
CEQA ,
Community Development ,
Governor Newsom ,
Housing Developers ,
Real Estate Development ,
Rental Property ,
State and Local Government ,
State Bans
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
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Budget Cuts ,
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Multi-Family Housing ,
Shopping Malls ,
State Agencies ,
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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
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
New California bill could require “blue carbon” to offset coastal development Bullet The San Diego Union-Tribune – May 2 AB 2593 calls for projects to add “blue carbon” measures to their mitigation plans. Blue carbon refers...more
Outcry against ADU construction in San Diego prompts rule change proposals -
The San Diego Union-Tribune – September 26 -
Growing outcry over the construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in some San Diego...more
Governor Newsom signs State Density Bonus Law clean up legislation -
Allen Matkins – September 29 -
On September 28, Governor Newsom signed SB 290, which amends certain provisions of the Density Bonus Law (Gov. Code §...more
10/1/2021
/ Affordable Housing ,
Commercial Tenants ,
Community Development ,
Density Bonus ,
Environmental Review ,
Eviction ,
Governor Newsom ,
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Rising Sea Levels ,
Urban Planning & Development
Critical housing bills signed by Governor Newsom -
Allen Matkins – September 17 -
As the State of California battles through a housing crisis, lawmakers are seeking creative ways to enable local governments to meet...more
Governor Newsom and California lawmakers hit an impasse on financing bullet train -
Los Angeles Times – September 3 -
A battle to secure an additional $4.2 billion for the California bullet train has hit an impasse,...more
Landlord sues L.A. for $100 million, saying anti-eviction law caused ‘astronomical’ losses -
Bullet Los Angeles Times – August 9 -
One of the region’s most prolific apartment builders has sued the city of Los Angeles...more
8/12/2021
/ California Energy Commission ,
Charging Stations ,
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Sustainable Projects
California to extend eviction ban, pay back rent for tenants -
Associated Press – June 25 -
California will ban evictions for unpaid rent through the end of September and pay off all back rent for eligible tenants...more
Governor Newsom signs bill expediting the environmental review process for certain housing projects -
Courthouse News Service – May 20 -
California Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday signed into law Senate Bill 7,...more
Draft building code urges more electric, less gas -
The Bakersfield Californian – May 9 -
A newly released draft of California's 2022 building code proposes the most ambitious electrification policies in the country...more
Despite limited success for housing bills in the 2020 legislative session, 2021 should present opportunities for developers -
Bullet Allen Matkins – December 21 -
During the 2020 legislative session, many housing...more
1/8/2021
/ Affordable Housing ,
Commercial Property Owners ,
Density Bonus ,
Energy Efficiency ,
Governor Newsom ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
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Housing Market ,
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Urban Planning & Development