I’ve lived in both cities. I’ve devoted most of my professional career to understanding the two of them. And, conflicted as I am about who to root for in the World Series, I’ll say this: It’s a great matchup because Los Angeles and Houston are so similar as urban places – the two largest cities in the American Sun Belt. And as a current Houstonian and former Angeleno, it’s worth saying that Los Angeles holds important lessons – good and bad – about our future. When I moved to Houston three years ago – after living in Southern California for thirty years – the thing that struck me more than anything was how similar its urban form is to Los Angeles. An enormous, low-rise city laid out on a grid across a gigantic coastal plane. Glued together by a highly developed freeway system. Punctuated by large job centers scattered across the landscape. Slowly realizing that maybe cars aren’t the answer to everything. And gradually rediscovering the underlying natural environment that gave rise to the city in the first place. Over time, I’ve come to see that even in non-physical terms, the two cities are similar. Demographically, this similarity is really striking. Both cities are about 40% Hispanic, and their metro areas have an enormous array of nationalities and ethnicities. The only big demographic difference is that, because it was traditionally a Southern city, Houston has a larger African-American population. But even in that case, what’s important is not the difference but the connection . Los Angeles’s black population migrated largely from Texas and Louisiana, and the connections back and forth are important. (In Walter Moseley’s Easy Rawlins novels, Easy lives in South-Central but grew up in the Fifth Ward.) As one of the westernmost historically black colleges and universities, Texas Southern draws more than its share of Angelenos. And among other ethnic groups, Houston is increasingly viewed as an affordable alternative to Los Angeles. Houston has the largest Vietnamese population outside of California, and the relationships among East Asian communities in particular is strong. Not long ago I spoke with a dentist and his wife of Chinese extraction who grew up in Los Angeles and then lived in the East and the Midwest. They settled in Houston because of the large Chinese population and the general view that, if they couldn’t afford to live in Los Angeles, Houston was the next-best place to be a Chinese-American. It’s a little facile too easy to say that Houston and L.A. are similar because they grew up as postwar auto-oriented cities. It’s important to understand that, at least at their core, both cities are older than you might think. Yes, they are the two largest cities in the Sun Belt. But they have been the two largest cities in the Sun Belt since 1950 , when Houston passed New Orleans as the largest city in the South. L.A. emerged early as a center of aerospace and manufacturing, Houston as a center of cotton trading and then energy. Both benefited greatly from World War II industrialization. Both are port cities, and in fact the expansion of the Panama Canal is likely to increase the competition between the ports. Both had – and still have – enormous freight rail infrastructures, which are deeply interconnected. (It’s not unusual for freight traffic in L.A. to get screwed up because of some snafu in the Port of Houston.) Nevertheless, it is true that they both boomed in the 30 years after World War II to become the poster children for Sun Belt sprawl, both good and bad. L.A. and Houston were carpet-bombed with basic, low-amenity suburban tracts in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Yet they have also been centers of urban innovation. When I was a young urban planner learning about “new towns,” everything I read kept leading me back to Irvine and The Woodlands, which are similarly innovative as master-planned communities. Even in baseball, the two cities were leaders of postwar suburban innovation. Dodger Stadium and the Astrodome – dating from 1962 and 1965, respectively – were hands down the two most important and innovative baseball stadiums built between the 1920s and the 1990s. These were the stadiums that led the way with exploding scoreboards, varied cuisine, and ample parking. (See Josh Stephens’s CP&DR review of a new book about Dodger Stadium.) As I learn more about this moment in Houston’s history, I am struck by the similarities with the Los Angeles I lived in during the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. The emerging world-class traffic problems. (The 610 Loop around The Galleria reminds me so much of the 405 on the Westside.) The dependence on traditional industries that may not be around forever. The struggles of a black-white city accommodating a wide range of emerging ethnicities, especially a fast-growing Hispanic population. The unaffordable housing. The gradual coming to terms with the idea that a world-class city must be urban, not suburban, in nature. And so what can Houston learn from L.A.? My takeaway is: Don’t wait too long to embrace the need to be a more urban place. For Los Angeles, the tipping point came in the ‘90s, when traffic got so bad Angelenos began to realize they would never be able to fix the problem with more freeway lanes. Since then, L.A. has embarked on the largest transit construction effort of any American city in the last 100 years. It will pay off in the long run, but in the short run traffic is still miserable, the transit oases are few and far between, and Angelenos are taxing themselves to death trying to get ahead in the process. So don’t get too far behind the curve – in transportation, housing, and diversifying the economic base. Oh, and by the way: I’m not really having a hard time deciding who to root for. The Dodgers are a great ballclub. But the Astros are the most exciting, fun young team I’ve seen in a really long time.

A local judge has ruled that the City of Dublin should have conducted an environmental analysis under the California Environmental Quality Act before placing a measure on the ballot that would permit development in an area previous protected under the city’s Open Space Initiative.

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As CP&DR has written repeatedly over the last couple of years, SB 35 is turning project-level housing review upside down, especially in the Bay Area. But by and large, SB 35 – which limits cities to ministerial review over housing projects in some circumstances – has been used to promote market-rate projects in upscale locations like Berkeley , Cupertino , and Los Altos . This isn’t surprising, especially since a precondition for SB 35 is paying construction laborers prevailing wage – an expensive proposition that usually requires a big revenue stream.

In the 1990s, Rick Cole presided over the update of Pasadena's general plan, which led to the development of one of the most recognizable transit-oriented developments in the United States (recognizable to planning nerds, at least): the Del Mar Transit Village on Los Angeles Metro's Gold Line. At the time, the city was a hotbed of New Urbanism thought, of which the Del Mar Transit Village was a prime example. Despite the high profile of New Urbanist ideas, and of the  Congress for the New Urbanism , Del Mar remained a relatively isolated example of the ethos and the aesthetic. In the ensuing decades, Cole moved on to serve as city manager in Azusa and Ventura (where he collaborated with CP&DR Publisher Bill Fulton), and in the past decade he served in the Los Angeles Mayor's Office and, most recently, as city manager in Santa Monica, from 2015 to 2020. The consummate Californian and longtime proponent of New Urbanist is now taking on a formal, national role, as the leader of the Congress for the New Urbanism itself. Cole official became CNU's executive director in May. CP&DR's Josh Stephens spoke with Cole about New Urbanism's influence on California, California's influence on it, and its prospects here and around the country now that it has gone from a radical upstart theory to a motivating force among many progressive planners, designers, and developers. Related CP&DR Coverage  New Urbanism Tag Train Moves New Urbanism Forward  Image credit: Brett VA via Flickr .

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In the latest twist in a long-running battle to build more on-campus student housing at UC Santa Cruz, the Sixth District Court of Appeal has ruled in favor of the university in an unpublished ruling.

Fix The City, a limited-growth group active in Los Angeles, has lost an attempt to retroactively challenge the city’s Transit Oriented Communities guidelines. However, an appellate court did say in an unpublished ruling that Los Angeles must re-do its seismic analysis on a proposed apartment building in West Los Angeles.

California Forever Postpones Ballot Measure, Will Conduct Two Years of Analysis and Outreach California Forever, the parent company behind the East Solano Plan to build a new city of up to 400,000 residents on the northeastern edge of the Bay Area, reached an agreement with Solano County on a new process for advancing the plan. The company will not seek a zoning change via a previously scheduled November ballot initiative. Instead, the company will submit an application for a general plan and zoning amendment and will work with the county to complete an environmental impact report and development agreement, and then bring the full completed package forward for voters to consider. The process is expected to take about two years. The hasty ballot measure "politicized the entire project, made it difficult for us and our staff to work with them, and forced everyone in our community to take sides," wrote Solano County Supervisor Mitch Mashburn in a statement . "Delaying the vote gives everyone a chance to pause and work together, which is what is needed - not a fight between friends throughout the County on both sides of the issue." "This creates opportunities to incorporate additional community input, and then provide everyone with access to objective analysis," wrote Calfornia Forever CEO Jan Sramek. "We believe... we can build a shared vision that passes with a decisive majority and creates broad consensus." According to a poll commissioned by California Forever, 54% of county voters felt the plan was moving too quickly. (See related CP&DR coverage .) Berkeley May Implement Citywide Upzoning for Small Multifamily Developments This evening, the Berkeley City Council is scheduled to consider a motion that, if adopted, would permit one of the most dramatic upzonings in state history. The motion, introduced by former Councilmember Lori Droste in 2019, would permit the development of small multifamily buildings across large swaths of the city. Buildings could be as many as three stories high and include as many as 12 units. Opponents are concerned that new market-rate developments could alter the character of single-family neighborhoods and/or concentrate in low-income areas where historically disadvantaged residents might be displaced. (See related CP&DR coverage .) State Updates Maps of Surplus Properties, with Eye Toward Housing Development The Department of Housing and Community Development and Department of General Services released an updated map called the State Excess Sites - Affordable Housing Opportunities Map, aimed at assisting developers in locating state-owned land suitable for affordable housing projects. This update follows Executive Order N-06-19's mandate for HCD and DGS to prioritize surplus state properties for affordable housing to alleviate California's housing shortage. Using criteria established under AB 2233 and SB 561, over 44,000 state-owned parcels underwent rigorous evaluation based on feasibility and financing competitiveness, employing GIS technology and visual assessments by DGS and HCD staff during 2023-2024. The map provides a comprehensive view of potentially suitable sites declared surplus by state departments, offering developers tools to explore available lands and overlay datasets such as HCD/TCAC Opportunity Map and transit areas to facilitate funding applications and streamline development processes. Interested developers are encouraged to subscribe to HCD's Housing Planning and Policy email list for updates on submitting proposals, although no sites are currently open for allocation. Terner Center: Construction Defect Law Suppresses Condo Development UC Berkeley's Terner Center for Housing Innovation released a report on California's construction defect liability laws and their substantial disincentive on developers and contractors interested in building new condominiums. An estimated 3 percent of all multifamily homes built in California between 2011 and 2021 were for sale rather than rental. In 2022, homeowners occupied less than 10 percent of units in existing structures with more than 5 units. The also report found the number of new homes smaller than 1,400 square feet built in 2020 were less than 10% of all homes built statewide. The state's construction defect liability law extends the liability period extends for ten years after construction completion for condominiums, whereas it is only four years for rental housing, creating a longer and potentially more costly liability exposure for developers of condominiums, contributing to their reluctance to invest in such projects compared to rental housing developments. The Terner Center concludes that a thorough review of California's current approach to managing construction defect liability, aimed at reducing litigation, cutting costs and fostering consumer confidence, is essential for expanding homeownership opportunities across the state. San Diego Seeks to Boost Fortunes of Business Districts The San Diego City Council unanimously adopted a comprehensive set of 99 new policies aimed at enhancing business districts, promoting ambitious housing projects, and clarifying zoning regulations. These changes include easing rules for converting shopping malls into housing, simplifying the approval process for sidewalk cafes and facilitating the opening of substance use and mental health clinics for homeless populations. Additionally, the package seeks to streamline the establishment of urgent care clinics across neighborhoods and mandates improved accessibility for pedestrians, cyclists and mass transit users near new arenas and stadiums. These updates, pending Coastal Commission approval, are poised to have significant impacts citywide, particularly downtown, where incentives for development on underutilized sites and improvements to public spaces are among the proposed changes. 2023 Housing Progress Report Details Sixth Consecutive Year of Growth The state's 2023 Housing Element Annual Progress Report Update reports that in 2023, completed residential units increased by 13.1% to 112,076, marking the sixth consecutive year of growth since 2018. Multifamily housing remained robust with 308,577 units in the housing pipeline, surpassing the previous five-year average. ADU production reached record highs with 27,919 permits issued in 2023 as the share of affordable housing for lower-income Californians expanded significantly, comprising 19% of permitted units and 16% of completed units in 2023, up from 9% and 7% respectively in 2018. Further, development timelines also shortened across all phases, attributed to legislative initiatives like SB 423 and SB 330, underscoring ongoing efforts to accelerate affordable housing production and streamlined development. CP&DR Coverage: Housing Incentives Create Strange Bedfellows Everything about housing development is antithetical to Costco's business model. Costco is in the business of building the same big-box store - with the same gigantic parking lot - pretty much anywhere. Urban infill housing is costly, complicated, and customized. But some people will do anything for an entitlement. That's why Costco's proposal to develop a roughly 800-unit apartment complex in South Los Angeles is a Trojan Horse that will also not-so-secretly facilitate the development of the chain's 17th Los Angeles County store. It will be built on the site of a shuttered medical center a few miles west of the USC campus, near a stop on L.A. Metro's Expo Line. Rather than wade through the tedious, costly, and uncertain process that would it need to gain approval for a traditional standalone store, Costco and its development partner Thrive Living taking advantage of AB 2011, which exempts multifamily housing projects on commercially zoned property from CEQA review, plus density bonuses provided by Los Angeles's Transit Oriented Communities program. Quick Hits & Updates Advocates in San Francisco are proposing a ballot initiative aimed at imposing a new gross receipts tax on ride-hail companies like Uber and Lyft. On Friday, they delivered 17,000 signatures, surpassing the required 10,000 signatures with a significant margin. This measure, known as the ComMUNIty Transit Act, aims to generate $20-30 million annually to support the financially struggling San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), potentially mitigating upcoming service cuts amid a projected $130 million deficit for fiscal year 2025. The initiative, likely to appear on November's ballot, seeks to stabilize Muni service levels and fund programs for low-income and youth riders. (See related CP&DR coverage .) A new Assembly Select Committee on Permitting Reform been formed to consider how to overhaul the state's complex land use permitting processes, aiming to expedite approvals for housing and climate projects. The committee plans to continue hearings throughout 2024 and intends to publish a white paper early in 2025, outlining findings and proposing legislative reforms to address these challenges. The Visalia City Council approved an 80-acre annexation in the Visalia Industrial Park to facilitate nearly 1 million square feet of construction by YS Industries despite potential litigation from a labor union. The project, located at Shirk Street and Riggin Avenue, moves forward with support from the city, which is preparing to defend its decision in upcoming legal proceedings initiated by the Laborers International Union of North America, Local Union 294. Cupertino's mixed-use development at the former Vallco shopping mall site, known as The Rise, is moving forward following the city's resolution of a fee dispute with Vallco Property Owner LLC. Approved in 2018, the project includes 2,699 housing units, with 890 designated as affordable, along with retail space and office facilities totaling nearly 1.9 million square feet. The dispute, centered on impact fees and parkland dedication fees, was settled with an agreement requiring The Rise project to pay approximately $10.3 million in transportation impact fees and $32 million in other payments to the city over the project's lifespan. (See related CP&DR coverage .) A Southern California environmental group, Save Our Forest Assn., has filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service for permitting BlueTriton Brands to extract water from the San Bernardino National Forest, claiming violations of federal laws. The group alleges that the water extraction has significantly harmed Strawberry Creek and demands the removal of infrastructure and cessation of operations, citing environmental damage and unlawful occupancy of public lands by the company. The California Energy Commission has approved a comprehensive plan to develop a vast floating offshore wind industry off Humboldt Bay and Morro Bay, aiming to generate 25 gigawatts of electricity by 2045. The initiative, unprecedented in its scale and complexity, requires substantial public and private investment to address environmental concerns, upgrade infrastructure and create a specialized workforce. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has introduced stricter tenant protections and other guardrails to Executive Directive 1, her administration's affordable housing program, aiming to protect low-income residents and historic resources. ED 1 streamlines approvals for affordable housing, and the city is developing a version for market-rate housing. With the new rules, projects in historic districts and on sites that currently have rent-controlled buildings will no longer be streamlined. Critics view these changes as significantly scaling back a program that has spurred much-needed housing development, potentially hindering efforts to address the city's escalating housing crisis. (See related CP&DR coverage .) Lynda and Stewart Resnick, California's wealthiest farmers and owners of The Wonderful Company, plan to expand their distribution center in Shafter into a major international trading hub, converting 1,800 acres of almond groves into warehouse space. Their project will include a new highway and a $120 million rail terminal with promises of up to 50,000 jobs, yet there is much concern about the environmental impact of increased truck traffic and construction. UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep Khosla is seeking approval from UC Regents to spend $2 billion on a new village that could house up to 6,000 students, addressing a severe housing shortage driven by rapid enrollment growth. The project aims to alleviate the ongoing housing crisis and could begin construction in 2026, with the first 2,000 beds available by 2029. San Diego County reinstated the use of CEQA Guidelines Section 15183 to streamline reviews of general plan-consistent projects, allowing them to bypass vehicle miles traveled (VMT) analysis and mitigation requirements despite changes in CEQA transportation analysis standards.

This article is brought to you courtesy of the paying subscribers to California Planning & Development Report . You can subscribe to CP&DR by clicking here . You can sign up for CP&DR 's free weekly newsletter here . Norwalk's Refusal to Zone for Homeless Shelters Causes State to Impose Builder's Remedy Governor Gavin Newsom called out the south Los Angeles County city of Norwalk's recent decision to extend its ban on new homeless shelters, stating that it is inhumane to prohibit such facilities while people live on the streets. In response to the city's actions, state officials have invoked the "builder's remedy," which effectively prevents Norwalk's from restricting large apartment developments in areas typically governed by local zoning laws, due to the city's non-compliance with the Housing Accountability Act. The Norwalk City Council had initially voted to halt permits for shelters, citing public health concerns, but ignored warnings from state housing officials that the ban was illegal. Mayor Margarita Rios defended the ban, arguing for the need for better collaboration with the state, while local officials expressed frustration at being sidelined in the decision-making process. As Norwalk faces a requirement to plan for over 5,000 new homes by 2029, the state's intervention may lead to an influx of larger housing projects, challenging the city's existing zoning restrictions. Los Angeles Metro Approves Region's Largest-Ever Transit Oriented Development The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has approved a joint development agreement with NOHO Development Associates, LLC for a significant 11.8-acre project at the Metro North Hollywood Station. This development, named District NoHo, will be Metro's largest housing initiative, featuring a mix of affordable housing, retail, office space and public open areas. The initial phase includes approximately 570 mixed-income apartments, with a portion set aside for low-income residents earning less than 60% of the median income for the region. When fully completed, the project is expected to offer over 1,400 apartments along with more than two acres of publicly accessible space. This initiative aligns with Metro's Vision 2028 Strategic Plan, which aims to create more affordable housing near transit to enhance accessibility and promote community development. State Planning Think Tank OPR Gets Rebranded as Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation The Office of Planning and Research has become the Governor's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI). Per a letter from LCI Director Sam Assefa, the office will continue to focus on equity, climate resilience, responsible land use, the California Environmental Quality Act, and grant funding for communities that have been historically underserved. LCI includes the State Planning and Policy Development, the California Strategic Growth Council, the California Racial Equity Commission, and the Governor's Military Council. The name change also entails moving several programs and offices to new and existing state entities that better align with their individual missions and service areas. The California Jobs First program and the Zero-Emission Transit Roadmap have relocated to the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, and the California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine will be integrated into the Health and Human Services Agency. In addition, California Volunteers, the Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications, and the Youth Empowerment Commission are now all part of the Governor's Office of Community Engagement and Volunteerism. (See related CP&DR coverage .) Major Sutter County Development Akin to "a New City" Gets Key Approval Sutter County Supervisors approved tract maps for parts of Sutter Pointe, a proposed development described as a "new city" that could accommodate approximately 17,500 homes in the southern part of the county, near Sacramento. Recent approvals allow developers to begin infrastructure work for housing designated for older adults, with plans for family homes anticipated to follow by 2028. The project woudl put housing on about 2,900 acres and commercial uses on 3,600 acres, with 1,000 acres left as open space. Many unresolved issues remain, especially concerning the impact on local schools due to an expected increase in student population. The development is strategically important as nearly 70% of Sutter County is in FEMA-designated floodplains, limiting other growth opportunities. While progress has been made, the project's future hinges on resolving negotiations with school districts to ensure adequate accommodations for new students. CP&DR Coverage: November Local and Statewide Ballot Measures Perhaps the most significant thing about state and local ballots in California this fall is what's not on them. With the state bearing down on local governments over housing, for the first time in memory only one slow-growth measure is headed to the November ballot. It's a significant change from past years, when an array of local measures limiting growth - and, in some cases, accommodating it - have appeared on the ballot. Also not on the ballot: A $20 billion Bay Area housing bond and a ballot measure in Solano County to permit the gigantic California Forever new town to move forward. Otherwise, there are big state ballot measures, including Prop 5, which would lower the voter threshold for local jurisdictions to float bons, and Prop 33, which is yet another attempt to strengthen rent control laws. There are a variety of local measures, led, as always, by San Francisco. Quick Hits & Updates The Los Angeles City Planning Commission has voted to prioritize new housing development in areas already designated for apartments, while largely preserving the existing single-family zones that make up about 72% of the city's residential land. This decision is part of a larger rezoning effort mandated by state law to accommodate over 450,000 new homes in the next five years and it has sparked debate between homeowner groups and housing advocates regarding the city's affordability challenges and the need for denser housing options. The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) released its 2024-2025 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) calendar, offering over $4.8 billion for housing and homelessness resources in the coming ten months. This includes funding from Proposition 1, the Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act and programs for homeless assistance, as well as planned allocations for Tribal Entities totaling more than $190 million. A new study out of UCLA looks at housing vacancy in Los Angeles, particularly focusing on the perceived issue of high vacancy rates in newly constructed market-rate and mixed-income housing, finding that the city's vacancy rates are among the lowest in the nation and have decreased over the past 15 years, with types of vacancies mirroring those in other areas. The research suggests that while measures like vacancy taxes could lead to slight reductions in vacancy rates, they would not effectively address challenges faced by overcrowded households, super-commuters, or future housing needs. Brightline West, the high-speed train project connecting Las Vegas to Southern California, has secured the Federal Railroad Administration's approval of $3 billion in funding, paving the way for construction to begin in early 2025. Expected to cost around $12 billion and capable of reaching speeds over 200 mph, the train aims to alleviate traffic on Interstate 15, reduce emissions and create over 35,000 jobs, with daily operations projected to support about 1,000 jobs once operational by 2028. (See related CP&DR coverage .) Santa Ana has approved the transformation of the Metro Town Square mall into a mixed-use development featuring thousands of homes, senior housing, retail spaces and open areas, a project expected to significantly boost the local economy. The Santa Ana City Council recently approved the initiative, which aims to create nearly 6,000 construction jobs and generate close to $11 million in new tax revenue, while also addressing state housing mandates. A San Francisco DMV building will be redeveloped into a multi-use complex featuring 372 homes, including units for low-income families. This initiative is part of a broader effort to convert underutilized state-owned properties into affordable housing, addressing California's housing crisis while enhancing public services in a centrally located area near transit and amenities. The Los Angeles City Council unanimously adopted a motion to reassess its rent control policies, which could lead to changes that favor tenants over landlords in determining annual rent increases. An independent report commissioned by the city found that current regulations often benefit landlords, suggesting potential reforms that could limit rent hikes and address the region's affordable housing crisis. The Alameda Food Bank is facing a lawsuit from two community members aiming to halt construction of its new facility, raising concerns about the impact on its services for the community. Executive Director Teale Harden emphasized the potential risks of prolonged litigation, which could disrupt food distribution for over 1,200 families that the organization serves weekly. The Federal Transit Administration has awarded an $893.3 million grant to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority for a new light rail line in the East San Fernando Valley, which will span 6.7 miles and include 11 stations serving communities like Van Nuys and Pacoima. Expected to open in 2031, this project aims to restore train service to the area for the first time in 70 years, with a focus on community engagement and local hiring, while promoting sustainability through a solar power system to meet maintenance facility energy needs. The Berkeley City Council approved an agreement with BART to develop hundreds of apartments, including over a third designated as affordable, at the Ashby BART station. The deal allows BART to utilize the west parking lot for construction while Berkeley will lease a smaller lot for development, although concerns were raised about the limited affordable housing and the potential displacement of Black residents in South Berkeley.

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Hollister 2040, we hardly knew ye. In what may be the shortest-lived adoption of a general plan in state history, the Hollister City Council approved a general plan update, along with its environmental impact report (and Climate Action Plan), in late December. A mere three months later, the city council rescinded the plan and committed $431,000 to draft a new one. It’s rare for a city to rescind a general plan – especially a recently adopted one. In doing so, the city may have exposed itself to sanctions, or lawsuits, from the Department of Housing and Community Development and lawsuits from housing advocacy organizations like Californians for Homeownership. The plan was designed in part to comply with the city’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation requirements, calling for 4,163 units (including 2,350 affordable units) to be added to the city of 44,500 by 2031. At issue was the question of whether the city should add 3,300 acres to its sphere of influence, with the prospect of annexing the acreage and zoning it for relatively low-density housing. The expanded sphere of influence would have formed a rough ring around the existing city limits, representing almost a doubling of the city’s geographical size. Located in mostly rural San Benito County, Hollister is either on the far southern extent of the Bay Area commute shed — or a rural redoubt, defiantly removed from urban commotion. “We felt that expanding the sphere of influence was not the kind of smart growth the city should be engaging in,” said Jessica Wohlander, policy and advocacy associate manager with environmental group Green Foothills.