The
state of California is suing the city of Huntington Beach for not
building enough affordable homes for its residents. However,
Huntington Beach has since filed a counter lawsuit against the state,
saying that California’s housing laws are “unconstitutional.”
California
governor Gavin Newsom said the state brought the case against
Huntington Beach because its harmed the ability of local families to
find affordable housing, and instead driven up housing costs for the
city’s residents. The governor added that he has tried to work with
city authorities to help it comply with state housing laws, but says
officials have “willfully refused” to do so.
Now,
Newsom wants to force the city to build more affordable housing units
for lower income families.
The case is the first time that California has taken legal action against one of its own cities, HousingWire reported.
Under
Californian law, cities and counties are required to adopt housing
plans that meet local needs, which are partly dictated by their local
economies. There needs to be a “fair share” of affordable housing
and cities must also provide zoning that encourages such development.
But
Huntington Beach says that California’s constitution gives it
exclusive authority to determine its zoning laws and how the land is
used.
“It’s one thing to have more basic housing laws come out of Sacramento; it’s another to have Sacramento try to micromanage cities’ zoning and attempt to approve development projects in spite of the city,” Michael Gates, city attorney for Huntington Beach, told SFgate.com. “It’s really nothing more than the city trying to maintain its local control.”
The
California
Department of Housing and Community Development, which
is the body that monitors cities’ compliance of housing laws, said
that Huntington Beach had altered its housing plan to reduce the
number of affordable homes that are built in the city. California
intervened in order to get Huntington Beach to comply, but the city’s
council voted against a recent proposal to build more affordable
homes.
“The
state doesn’t take this action lightly,” Newsom said.
“The huge housing costs and sky-high rents are eroding quality of
life for families across the state. California’s housing crisis is
an existential threat to our state’s future and demands an urgent
and comprehensive response.”
Source: realtybiznews.com