A California city can deny a housing project only on narrow legal grounds. The California Housing Accountability Act (HAA) limits how local governments may disapprove or reduce qualifying housing projects. It does not take away their authority to review applications. Three questions usually decide the issue. Does the project qualify for protection? Does it comply… Read more »
A California property owner learns that the state plans to widen a highway nearby. The government has not filed a condemnation action, but the proposed project is already affecting the property. Potential buyers lose interest. A planned commercial development is put on hold. An appraisal for refinancing comes in lower than expected. The government has… Read more »
A property owner who receives a zoning violation notice or grading enforcement action may not be able to determine from the ordinance itself what conduct allegedly violated the law. The ordinance may contain undefined terms. An agency may apply a standard that the text does not clearly establish. The rule may also give enforcement officials… Read more »
When a county charges a property owner with illegal grading, the consequences can be serious. A notice of violation can affect how an owner uses the land. It can also lead to enforcement proceedings, fines, or corrective-action requirements. Property owners facing enforcement may need to decide whether to accept the government’s position or challenge it…. Read more »
A zoning violation notice may arise after a complaint, property inspection, permit review, or other interaction with a local agency. For property owners, these enforcement actions can affect how they use, develop, finance, or transfer their property. California cities and counties have broad authority to regulate land use and enforce zoning requirements. However, that authority… Read more »
Development impact fees are charges that California local agencies impose on new development to fund public infrastructure. A developer submitting a building permit application may encounter fees for roads, parks, schools, water and sewer connections, and fire stations. These fees can add significant cost per unit to a project. California law allows local agencies to… Read more »
A building permit application that stalls in plan check can cost a property owner thousands of dollars in carrying costs, lost income, and escalating construction prices. In California, permit delays are a widespread source of frustration for homeowners, small developers, and commercial property owners alike. Some delays reflect genuine complexity in the application. Others reflect… Read more »
California cities and counties have long used growth control measures to limit the pace of residential and commercial development. Some impose annual caps on building permits. Others establish urban growth boundaries beyond which development is restricted or prohibited. A few use voter-approved moratoriums that freeze approvals for defined periods. Taken together, these measures can significantly… Read more »
Housing projects across California face a familiar problem. Local agencies change zoning rules mid-project. Design standards multiply with each review. Hearings get continued indefinitely. A project that once looked straightforward can quickly become a moving target. SB 330, the Housing Crisis Act of 2019, was designed to stop that cycle. The law limits many of… Read more »
California needs far more housing than it builds each year. The state falls short by an estimated 180,000 homes annually, creating ongoing pressure on housing affordability and supply. To address that shortage, the Legislature passed Assembly Bill 2011, the Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act of 2022. AB 2011 allows affordable and mixed-income housing… Read more »
