The Californer - California: Governor Newsom's housing and homeless accountability unit unlocks 7,500+ new housing units

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Sep 18, 2024

Governor Newsom's housing and homeless accountability unit unlocks 7,500+ new housing units

Announces first action under unit's new oversight of homelessness efforts

What you need to know: Since 2022, Governor Newsom's Housing Accountability Unit has "unlocked" more than 7,500 housing units for California families, meaning the unit has ensured these new homes are approved for development by working with local jurisdictions or by taking actions to enforce California law. This summer, Governor Newsom expanded the unit's oversight to also include monitoring cities' and counties' efforts to address homelessness. The unit announced its first action this week with a Notice of Violation against the city of Norwalk.

SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom's Housing Accountability Unit has taken strong action against cities and counties that fail to build more housing, unlocking more than 7,500 housing units for California. Earlier this year, Governor Newsom expanded the responsibility of the unit to hold cities and counties accountable when they fail to adequately address homelessness. Earlier this week, the Housing Accountability Unit announced its first action on homelessness after issuing a notice of violation to the city of Norwalk for its unlawful moratorium on building homeless shelters or supportive housing.

"There is no community in our state that is exempt from doing its part to address homelessness and create new housing. Whether by helping communities understand housing law or by countering NIMBY attacks, we will continue pressing forward to hold localities accountable for building their fair share of housing and helping individuals experiencing homelessness. We all have a role to play to ensure every Californian has a place to call home."

Governor Gavin Newsom

Governor Newsom launched the Housing Accountability Unit in 2021 to assist cities and counties in fulfilling their legal responsibilities to plan for and permit their fair share of housing and to hold accountable those who fail to do so. In 2024 the Unit was expanded to include a focus on homelessness issues – including compliance with state laws as they relate to homeless housing — doubling down on an aggressive strategy to help build more homes and get people into housing.

"Whether housed or unhoused, we are all Californians bound to each other as we create a California for All," said Secretary of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency Tomiquia Moss. "Thanks to the collective action of cities and counties across the state, last year California housed over 73,000 Californians experiencing homelessness – including seniors, young adults, families with young children, veterans. We need the commitment and accountability of everyone if we are to continue to make progress. It is time for all cities to say yes to essential shelter and housing and diligently uplift residents by providing the services they need to be sheltered and housed in community."

This focus on accountability has, in part, led to a 15-year high in housing starts in California. Since its establishment, the Housing Accountability Unit has supported the development of 7,513 housing units, including 2,765 affordable units, through enforcement actions and by working with local jurisdictions to ensure compliance with housing law.

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The unit has taken 540 accountability actions to date, including filing four lawsuits.

"Our Housing Accountability Unit's priority is to ensure the law is being followed and we are protecting the right of people to have a home," said Department Housing and Community Development (HCD) Director Gustavo Velazquez. "We'll continue to work in partnership and assist local jurisdictions that understand this. For those that do not, and try to circumvent the law with total disregard to the detrimental impact on their communities HCD will not hesitate to use all tools at our disposal, including taking them to court, to ensure housing is being built for Californians at all income levels. With the Governor's expansion of our responsibilities and focus, we'll redouble our efforts to ensure accountability."

Addressing the homelessness crisis

This week, the Housing Accountability Unit issued a Notice of Violation to the city of Norwalk for passing an ordinance banning the development of new homeless shelters – only weeks after Governor Newsom called on localities to utilize access to unprecedented funding to get people off the street and into shelter. This Notice of Violation warns Norwalk that should it not reverse course, California's Department Housing and Community Development (HCD) may take further action, including referring the matter to the Attorney General's office for litigation

Ensuring communities plan for their housing needs

In 2023, the Governor's Office and California Attorney General filed suit against Huntington Beach for failing to plan for its fair share of housing in violation of California's Housing Element Law. The Governor and Attorney General recently announced the successful outcome of this case, with the San Diego Superior Court ruling that Huntington Beach must plan for additional housing units.
Last fall, the state reached a settlement with the wealthy beachside city of Coronado, which resisted its obligation to meet its legally required Regional Housing Needs Allocation. Coronado recently adopted a compliant housing element, and as a result, the city has planned for 912 new housing units.
Under threat of litigation by the state, the city of San Bernardino agreed to update its housing plan to meet state-mandated goals, as well as amended its local density bonus to conform with state law. San Bernardino recently adopted a compliant housing element.

The state also secured settlements with the cities of Malibu and Fullerton, which have agreed to update their housing elements by this fall.

Saving housing projects from NIMBY attacks

When the city of Elk Grove attempted to block a supportive housing project despite approving a market-rate housing project in the same area, the Housing Accountability Unit stepped in — not only helping the developer to secure approval for the project in a higher-resource area, but also securing an agreement with the city to identify and rezone a new site for additional affordable housing development.
California secured a win in the trial court against Anaheim when it violated multiple state housing laws in denying Grandma's House of Hope, a well-established local nonprofit, a permit for a transitional housing project for women with health disabilities who had recently experienced homelessness.

Earlier this year, La Cañada Flintridge – an affluent Southern California city of 20,000 residents – attempted to block a "Builder's Remedy" project that would create 80 mixed-income housing units. Thanks to the state's actions, the trial court ordered the city to reverse its denial of the project.

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Transforming unused land to much-needed housing

In July 2024, HCD secured a settlement agreement with Moreno Valley to resolve allegations that the city violated the Surplus Land Act. Through the settlement, the city has committed that at least 100 of the homes built on the property will be affordable. The city will also pay a statutory penalty.

Housing Accountability Unit Fact Sheet

Housing and Homelessness, News, Press Releases, Recent News (https://www.gov.ca.gov/category/all/recent-news/)

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