Recent rulings from the high-profile cities of Berkeley and Beverly Hills got a lot of publicity. But less publicized settlement agreements from Davis and Clovis show just how scared cities are getting about housing litigation.
Defeat turns on whether site inventory and density calculations are realistic. City plans to appeal, but further loss could help builder's remedy applications.
Appellate court says overlay zone doesn't meet state's minimum density requirements because underlying zoning allows less -- and as a result discrimination laws were violated as well.
Orange County city's attorney is drawing an ordinance to "exempt" it from the builder's remedy. Meanwhile, Santa Monica -- which originally vowed to fight -- is processing builder's remedy projects.
Five of the 12 Bay Area jurisdictions sued over non-compliant housing elements are in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Meanwhile, Builder's Remedy applications begin to pop up.
Coming just days after the region's RHNA deadline the lawsuits suggest pitched battle ahead over the Bay Area's housing targets -- and maybe even a Builder's Remedy battle or two.
Recent legislation focuses on beefing up the housing element process, but how can California make sure that better housing elements actually lead to more housing? >>read more
