California Government takes action against five local governments for defying state housing laws

By Purushottam Dhakal, LOS ANGELES:-  Moving to hold accountable five California cities that refuse to comply with state laws requiring them to plan for their share of housing needs, Governor Gavin Newsom today took action against local governments standing in the way of new housing.

Governor Gavin Newsom says, “California cannot solve the housing crisis while some cities sit idly by and challenge us to do something about it. These five jurisdictions had every opportunity to comply with the law and plan for their fair share of housing. They chose not to, so now they will answer for it in court. Housing laws apply statewide, and no city gets a pass.”

The actions taken today are part of the State’s plan to ensure that every jurisdiction plays its role in addressing the State’s housing needs. As the sixth housing planning cycle nears its conclusion, most jurisdictions have adopted compliant housing elements and met statutory requirements. The jurisdictions named in today’s legal action are lagging behind, with at least two and a half years having passed since the compliance deadline. The five cities are Calexico, Costa Mesa, Half Moon Bay, Ridgecrest, and Turlock.

“California’s housing crisis demands action, not excuses,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Jurisdictions that fail to comply with our housing element laws are standing in the way of the homes Californians need. We have passed the halfway point of the current housing planning cycle, and timely compliance is not optional. As I have said many times, no single local government has to solve this challenge alone, but every local government must do its fair share. Today, we are demonstrating just how serious we are about ensuring that every city and county in California adopts a housing element. Restoring the California Dream will require an all-hands-on-deck effort.”

Before recommending today’s enforcement actions, HCD repeatedly gave each jurisdiction the opportunity to resolve the issues. This process included formal notices of non-compliance, a 30-day deadline for each city or county to provide a written response, and two rounds of meetings to seek a resolution before the matter was referred to the Attorney General’s Office. Across the state, the combination of HCD’s technical assistance and enforcement efforts has pushed the compliance rate for housing planning standards above 95% during this cycle.

The state is prepared to file additional writ petitions against any city or county that fails to take necessary action after receiving a notice of violation from the HCD.

These California cities broke the law

Since 1969, California has required every city and county to plan for housing across all income levels—not just some—through the “Housing Element,” a mandatory component of each jurisdiction’s General Plan. In each cycle, the HCD assigns a share of the state’s housing needs to every city and county, and the jurisdiction’s Housing Element must demonstrate, in specific terms, how it will meet this target and remove barriers standing in the way.

Under the state’s Housing Accountability Act, non-compliant jurisdictions are subject to the “builder’s remedy,” losing the ability to reject qualifying low- and moderate-income housing projects based on zoning. Additionally, under Senate Bill 1037—signed into law in 2024—jurisdictions face civil penalties for non-compliance regarding affordable housing in their communities.

Throughout this cycle, the state has worked in lockstep regarding housing accountability; this effort has already engaged jurisdictions such as Hollister, Artesia, La Habra Heights, Malibu, Fullerton, Coronado, and San Bernardino, each of which has pledged to bring its housing element into compliance.

Action taken to hold Huntington Beach accountable for implementation

Today’s action follows the announcement made in May regarding Huntington Beach. The state filed a lawsuit against the city in 2023 after it refused to update its ‘housing plan’ more than four years past the legal deadline. The court ordered the city to pay a $160,000 fine and imposed additional monthly fines of $50,000 until compliance was achieved. This case demonstrates the consequences of willfully violating the law.

More housing, more accountability

Governor Newsom played a leading role in establishing the ‘Housing Accountability Unit’ within the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). Its objective is to ensure that cities and counties fulfill their legal obligations to plan for and approve their share of housing. Since its inception, the unit has facilitated the development of 13,541 housing units by collaborating with local jurisdictions to ensure compliance with housing laws and taking necessary enforcement actions.

The initiative to end homelessness encompasses more than 3,852 affordable housing units. In 2024, the scope of this unit was expanded to also focus on issues related to homelessness—such as compliance with state laws regarding housing for the homeless.

In addition to today’s announcement and ongoing efforts to hold local governments accountable for assisting their residents and improving housing affordability, Governor Newsom is developing a structural and foundational model that will have a positive impact on future generations.

The Governor is prioritizing and facilitating the construction of new housing, allocating funds for new shelters and support services, holding local governments accountable for addressing homelessness, and creating new pathways for those in greatest need through updated conservatorship laws and a new CARE Court system. California is also addressing the issue of interim housing across the state to move people off the streets and into necessary care.

Last year, as a result of the Governor’s strategies to address the housing and homelessness crisis, the number of unsheltered homeless individuals in California decreased by 9.5 percent—the first such drop in over 15 years. While homelessness is rising in other states and across the nation, California is reversing this decades-long crisis and moving toward improvement.