Escalating the fight against housing inequity, California's Governor Gavin Newsom and state housing officials are clamping down on the City of Norwalk over its controversial decision to ban the development of new homeless shelters and supportive housing, as reported by the Governor's Office. The city, which has been accused of undermining efforts to address the critical homelessness crisis in the state, received a Notice of Violation from the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) warning of potential legal action if the policy isn't reversed.
In a statement that highlighted the severity of the state's housing crisis, Newsom condemned Norwalk's action by saying, "It is unfathomable that as our state grapples with a homelessness crisis, Norwalk would pass an ordinance banning the building of homeless shelters," and described such measures as "counterproductive and immoral." Meanwhile, Norwalk has until September 23 to formulate its response to the state's warning, with the possibility of a lawsuit, and repercussions that could include referral to the Attorney General's Office for litigation, lying in wait. HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez echoed Newsom's sentiment, equating the city’s moratorium to classifying "badly needed homes for people struggling the most with liquor stores and payday loans," according to the Governor's Office.
The controversial municipal policy, which was swiftly challenged by the state, violates multiple state laws aimed at promoting fair housing and planning, including the Housing Crisis Act and the Housing Element Law. Attorney General Rob Bonta expressed his office's readiness to institute legal proceedings against the city, stating, "Banning new emergency shelters and new supportive housing not just defies common sense — it is unlawful," as reported by the Governor's office. The clash comes as Norwalk stands accused of coming up short in meeting its share of the Regional Housing Needs Allocation, having issued permits for only 175 units out of an assigned goal of 5,034.
Boosting the state's resolve to combat the homelessness problem, HCD's Housing Accountability Unit, set up by Newsom in 2021, has been instrumental in bringing a 15-year high in housing starts across California; the Unit's recent expansion in 2024 now additionally tackles compliance issues related to homelessness while it has played a role in the development of over 7,400 housing units, which includes more than 2,700 affordable units since its inception through tight enforcement actions and collaboration with local jurisdictions. Newsom's administration previously urged local governments to leverage state funding for eradicating unsafe living conditions and providing vital services for the homeless, which makes the City of Norwalk's defiance particularly troubling as it had received nearly $29 million in housing and homelessness funds from the state since 2019.
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