Cities Finding Ways to Resist State-Mandated Upzoning

The resistance to state-mandated zoning reforms, already well underway in Oregon, is now starting to whiplash through California as well.

1 minute read

December 1, 2021, 10:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Pacific Ocean

Redondo Beach only has one way to go if it wants to grow. | Kirk Wester / Shutterstock

Liam Dillon reports for the Los Angeles Times on the methods California cities are using to resist the mandates of Senate Bill 9, a statewide upzoning bill approved earlier this year.

According to Dillon, "Cities across the state, from Los Altos Hills and Cupertino in the Bay Area to Pasadena and Redondo Beach in Los Angeles County, are considering measures that would blunt the effects of the new law."

"Among other restrictions, local plans are aiming to limit the size and height of new development, mandate parking spots and require that such housing be rented only to those making moderate or low incomes," adds Dillon.

When it passed SB 9, California followed in the footsteps of Oregon, which approved House Bill 2001 in 2019 to similarly require Oregon cities to allow new density in neighborhoods exclusively zoned for single-family, detached housing. The city of Portland, Oregon experimented with their own way to counteract the state-mandated upzoning, by creating new criteria for declaring Portland neighborhoods as Historic Districts with the National Register of Historic Places. That effort, dubbed the Historic Resources Code Project is scheduled to appear before the Portland City Council on December 15.

A lot more detail on the methods specific California cities are using to repeat state-mandated zoning reforms are available in Dillon's Los Angeles Times coverage, linked below.

Thursday, December 30, 2021 in Los Angeles Times

View form second story inside Southdale Mall in Edina, Minnesota with escalators and model cars parked on downstairs floor.

The Mall Is Dead — Long Live the Mall

The American shopping mall may be closer to its original vision than ever.

March 21, 2024 - Governing

View of Austin, Texas skyline with river in foreground during morning golden hour.

The Paradox of American Housing

How the tension between housing as an asset and as an essential good keeps the supply inadequate and costs high.

March 26, 2024 - The Atlantic

Houston, Texas skyline.

Report: Las Vegas, Houston Top List of Least Affordable Cities

The report assesses the availability of affordable rental units for low-income households.

March 22, 2024 - Urban Edge

Aerial view of high-rise buildings on waterfront in Boston, Massachusetts

Boston Moves Zoning Reform Forward

The ‘Squares + Streets’ plan creates form-based zoning templates for neighborhoods that promote mixed use and denser housing near transit.

2 minutes ago - The National Law Review

Aerial view of Anchorage, Alaska downtown with mountains in background at golden hour.

Anchorage Leaders Debate Zoning Reform Plan

Last year, the city produced the fewest new housing units in a decade.

March 28 - Anchorage Daily News

Young man in wheelchair crossing zebra crosswalk.

How to Protect Pedestrians With Disabilities

Public agencies don’t track traffic deaths and injuries involving disabled people, leaving a gap in data to guide safety interventions.

March 28 - Governing

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

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.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.