10/19/2023
IS THE STATE FORCING YOUR CITY TO ADD LOW INCOME HOUSING?
Back in 2015, the California Supreme Court upheld San Jose’s 15% Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance (for low-income housing). A series of bills followed the decision. This eventually empowered the state to mandate that all cities must provide affordable housing to meet the 15% low-income guideline. Even if it violates local covenants, ordinances, as well as civil liberties.
In Palos Verdes Estates, the State of California wants to remove a church to build low-income housing, even though it is protected by a local covenant. In Beverly Hills, the state plans to add affordable housing right next to an elementary school. And in Elk Grove, they want to build low-income housing in the middle of the historic district, which violates local zoning regulations and has been voted down by the city. These cities (and many others) are adamantly against adding low-income housing. However, most are afraid of CAR (California Association of Realtors) as well as the State of California. It’s a two-headed legal monster that is hard to beat. Nevertheless, a handful of charter cities are disobeying the 15% Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance. They will get their day in court, in an effort to achieve a new precedent. And they may have an argument that they didn’t have in 2015…
It's 2023, and we are not experiencing the same type of housing shortage, which we were experiencing back in 2015. Now, California has a declining population. Since 2020, the Golden State has lost over 800,000 net residents, and is expected to have a population decline for the next decade. That doesn’t sound very golden. And it is not just people, companies are fleeing the state, too. This has been referred to as the California Exodus. So, if the state’s population is declining, why are we adding state-mandated housing to cities that don’t want or need it?
"Beau" Brennan Lazar
RE/MAX Estate Properties
[email protected]
Phone # (310) 408-3755
License # 01747591