In an aggressive move to tackle the state's housing shortage, Governor Gavin Newsom, along with Attorney General Rob Bonta and the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), have set their sights on the city of La Cañada Flintridge. The state officials have filed legal actions to reverse the city's denial of a housing project that promised to bring new life in the form of 80 mixed-income residences, along with 14 hotel units and a chunk of office space to boot, as reported by the HCD newsroom.
The trio is looking to forcefully insert themselves into an ongoing legal tussle, with a request to intervene and a proposed writ of mandate hanging in the balance pending court approval. They're gunning to ensure La Cañada Flintridge plays by the rules, specifically those of the so-called "builder’s remedy" under the Housing Accountability Act (HAA), which the city seems to have conveniently bypassed. According to the HCD announcement, from October 16, 2021, to November 17, the city's housing element was not up to snuff, and that's when this controversial project was under consideration.
Governor Newsom didn't mince words when he stated, "La Cañada Flintridge is another community making excuses rather than building their fair share of housing," according to the HCD newsroom. He warned that this city, like others before it, will be held accountable for skirting their responsibilities. HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez emphasized that cities must stop cherry-picking which rules to follow, pointing out that when they shirk their duty to promote housing growth across all income levels, they will face state action.
Attorney General Bonta took a firm stance, stressing that the City of La Cañada Flintridge "is legally required to process this affordable housing project" because it didn't adopt a compliant housing element on time. He highlighted the struggle many Californians face to find affordable housing and reiterated the city's duty to facilitate, not obstruct, such developments, echoing statements from the HCD release. Bonta emphasized the Department of Justice's commitment to "ensure that the people of La Cañada Flintridge and all our communities can access the housing that they critically need."
A point of contention is the city's alleged violation of the Housing Element Law and the HAA with the denial of the mixed-income housing project. The state's legal filings accuse the city of thumbing its nose at the state's goals to address the housing crisis, and they're asking the courts to let them step in to enforce compliance with California housing laws. Interested readers can find out more by checking out the application to intervene and the proposed petition for writ of mandate, both available through the HCD's website.
