California Housing Update

Michael D. Tanner and Sofia HamiltonLast July, we published a blog post discussing the failure of most California local governments to meet the deadline to submit their housing elements for approval to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).At the time, we criticized the California legislature for extending the timeline for submission of housing elements and rezoning. Housing elements were originally due to HCD by February 2022, but cities who had failed to meet this deadline were given until October 2022 to comply through the passage ofSB 197. These cities were then allowed three years to adopt their approved housing elements and complete the rezoning process (which was originally required to be completed by October 2022). If local governments fail to complete their housing elements and rezoning processes by these new deadlines, they will be ineligible to receive affordable housing grants from the state. But given that this is a routine process and cities have been required to submit their housing elements for approval and rezone accordingly every eight years since the 1970s, the local governments ’ argument that the original timeline was impractical does not have standing.Despite our justifiable skepticism, we may have underestimated the California legislature ’s willingness to stand up to the NIMBY lobby. While the legislature remains reluctant to cut off housing funds to non‐​compliant localities, state officials have instea...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs