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
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. 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
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
The Los Angeles Superior Court issued a highly anticipated ruling on March 4, 2024, addressing a Builder’s Remedy project denial by the City of La Cañada Flintridge. The decision confirms (i) that a local jurisdiction cannot...more
San Francisco’s state-mandated plan to raise building height limits to encourage housing production along transit corridors from the Sunset to the Richmond to the Marina came under criticism at the Planning Commission’s...more
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass last Wednesday announced a new executive order to reduce permitting time for housing by 25-30%, a move that could significantly expand housing production....more
Housing advocates touted the “Builder’s Remedy” as a clever way to circumvent NIMBY politics and get more housing built. But in the two months since the law has been available to Bay Area developers, few have submitted...more
Rent control expands as tenants struggle with the record-high cost of housing -
NPR – November 28 -
In November, voters in Florida, Maine, and California approved ballot measures to impose or tighten caps on rent hikes....more
12/6/2022
/ Bay Area ,
California ,
CARB ,
Environmental Policies ,
Housing Developers ,
Housing Market ,
Low-Income Issues ,
Real Estate Development ,
Rent Control ,
Rental Property ,
Roads ,
Sustainable Projects ,
Urban Planning & Development
If approved by Governor Newsom, Assembly Bill (AB) 2011 would provide for “by right” streamlined ministerial (i.e., no CEQA) approval of qualifying mixed-income and affordable housing projects along commercial corridors in...more
Biden framework includes $150B for affordable housing -
The Hill – October 28 -
President Joe Biden’s proposed climate change and social services bill, the “Build Back Better Act,” is expected to include $150 billion...more
As the State of California battles through a housing crisis, lawmakers are seeking creative ways to enable local governments to meet their long-term housing needs and produce housing more quickly. On September 16, 2021,...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 ,
Homeless Issues ,
Housing Developers ,
Housing Market ,
Landlords ,
Low Income Housing ,
Real Estate Development ,
Rental Property ,
Urban Planning & Development
Lawmakers weigh moratorium extension as eviction cliff looms -
Palo Alto Online – December 8 -
With California's eviction moratorium set to expire in less than 60 days and 2 million people at risk of losing their rental...more
12/11/2020
/ Climate Change ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Eviction ,
Flooding ,
Homeless Issues ,
Housing Market ,
Landlords ,
Low Income Housing ,
Moratorium ,
Natural Gas ,
Popular ,
Rental Assistance Programs ,
Rental Property ,
Sustainability