Five California cities are heading to court after repeatedly refusing to comply with state housing laws.
Governor Gavin Newsom and State Attorney General Rob Bonta announced coordinated lawsuits against Calexico, Costa Mesa, Half Moon Bay, Ridgecrest, and Turlock for failing to adopt legally compliant housing plans. According to state officials, all five holdouts are more than two and a half years past their deadlines.
Newsom said his office is cracking down on cities that refuse to plan for their fair share of new housing.
“California can’t solve the housing crisis while some cities sit on their hands and dare us to do something about it,” he said. “No city gets a pass.”
Before suing, the state’s Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) issued final warnings to 15 cities and counties that still hadn’t followed state housing law by March.
How California housing law works
Under state law, every city has to submit a master plan showing how it will build enough homes for people at every income level. Cities that skip out on this requirement face heavy fines and state lawsuits.
In the months leading up to the lawsuit, other cities tried to push back on HUD’s housing compliance procedures. Huntington Beach tried to fight back, claiming its status as a charter city meant state housing rules didn’t apply. A judge rejected the excuse, hitting the city with a $160,000 fine and an extra $50,000 for every month it stays out of line.
“California’s housing crisis demands action, not excuses,” Bonta said, adding that timely compliance “is not optional.”
Statewide, almost everyone else has fallen in line—over 95% of California’s cities are now meeting their housing goals.
