Part of the state's Housing and Community Development Agency, the unit will focus on enforcing existing laws around housing production and ensure cities build the housing needed to alleviate the current crisis.
Manuela Tobias reports on California's efforts to more stringently enforce housing production goals across the state. This year, "pro-housing forces won a years-long fight in the California Legislature to allow more density on single-family lots," while "Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law more than 30 bills attempting to quell the state’s affordable housing crisis, including Senate Bill 9, which allows duplexes and as many as four units on most parcels that previously allowed a single home."
But to ensure that housing production goals are met and localities aren't obstructing development, the state Housing and Community Development Agency created the Housing Accountability Unit. "The 25-person team with a budget of more than $4 million is expected to help cities meet their housing goals — and crack down on those who fail to do so. They will also be enforcing a slew of other California housing laws, including the Housing Accountability Act, Surplus Lands Act and Density Bonus Law."
At the heart of the unit's work is the Regional Housing Needs Assessment, which, every eight years, tells cities how much housing they need to build. While in the past cities often ignored the Assessment with few consequences, "[a] series of recent laws have given more teeth to the process, which say that targeted areas need to feasibly allow housing, and that housing needs to be built in all neighborhoods, including wealthier ones."
FULL STORY: California is increasing enforcement of its housing goals: Will it work?
California Cities Could Face a Zoning Reckoning
As the state toughens rules related to its housing allocation process, cities statewide may finally be forced to overhaul their zoning codes to ensure an adequate supply of housing at all affordability levels.
San Francisco Housing Construction Far Slower Than Other Tech Hubs
Experts blame high land and construction costs and restrictive regulations for San Francisco’s dismal rate of housing construction, which lags behind other fast-growing cities like Austin and Seattle.
San Diego Not Meeting State Housing Goals
Based on the number of permits issued for new construction in the last year, the city must triple its production to meet the targets set by the state in the latest round of the Regional Housing Needs Assessment.
The Surprising Oil Tax in the Inflation Reduction Act
President Biden has made reducing gas prices paramount in his administration, so it was likely a surprise to hear a Republican senator last Sunday warn TV viewers that a revived and increased oil fee in the climate bill will increase their gas costs.
The Tide Has Turned Against Open Streets
Once a promising development for advocates pushing for a less car-centric future in cities, the open streets movement has ceded significant ground to cars since the height of the pandemic.
San Antonio Office Tower To Become Residential
With the building more than half vacant, the new owners of the Tower Life Building plan to convert the historic tower into residences that could include affordable housing.
Explaining Rent Inflation
The delayed effects of changes in rent costs make rent inflation a difficult figure to pin down.
Dallas Names 66-Mile Bike and Walking Trail
When complete, the newly named DFW Discovery Trail will incorporate 50 miles of existing trails into a regional ‘super highway.’
Vision Zero Still a Pipe Dream as Road Deaths Continue to Climb
U.S. traffic fatalities hit a twenty-year peak in the first quarter of 2022.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Cohousing Association of the US
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Crystal River
Sun City Center Community Association, Inc
City of Mesa
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
