California is clearing the way for more places to call home, with Governor Gavin Newsom announcing the addition of 10 communities to the state's lineup of prohousing pioneers. These areas, including nine cities and the County of Los Angeles, have snagged the state's Prohousing Designation, unlocking access to funding perks and streamlining their paths to ramping up housing production. This latest recognition bumps the total to a formidable 47 communities, putting California on a proactive trajectory to tackle its daunting housing goals.
Why should anyone care? Let's crunch the numbers: California needs to hammer out 2.5 million new homes by 2030, with a hefty slice—1 million—earmarked for lower-earning Californians. Achieving this housing heft requires local governments to flex their policy muscles, going above the bare minimum and embracing tactics to grease the wheels of housing creation. The Prohousing Designation acts like a carrot, incentivizing such ambitious efforts. Spotting a housing crisis on our hands, Newsom said, "At nearly fifty pro-housing communities, California is making progress – but we can do better," according to the HCD announcement.
These lustrous designations didn't just fall from the sky. Communities earned it by aligning with the 2019-20 Budget Act and doubling down on housing-friendly practices. A pot of gold awaits with Prohousing Incentive Program grants and a better shot at snagging competitive housing funds, as per the HCD. The most recent round dangles $9.5 million for the taking—chump change that makes a big difference in the affordable housing game.
Communities like Berkeley are bubbling with pro-housing zest, axing minimum parking demands and setting up ADU fast-tracks, while the likes of Rancho Cucamonga streamline hearings from four to two, and West Hollywood champions duplexes and triplexes in select zones. These urban trailblazers aren't just chasing accolades, they're out to make a dent in California's housing supply crunch, creating opportunities for more affordable living spaces. As Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency Secretary Tomiquia Moss noted, "It is so refreshing when we have opportunities like this to recognize our housing partners," as stated by the HCD.
