Latest News
NOTE: The opinions expressed in the news items cited here do not necessarily represent the opinion of Catalysts for Local Control. We try to present a balanced picture of the news on the subject of housing and legislation.
YIMBY files lawsuit against Cupertino, claims city violated “builder’s remedy” law
By STEPHANIE LAM
April 11, 2025
Pro-housing group YIMBY Law has filed two lawsuits against Cupertino this week, claiming the city violated state laws by denying multiple housing proposals that would have added dozens of new homes.
The organization alleges that two preliminary proposals submitted under the builder’s remedy provision — Vista Heights and Schofield Drive — faced numerous roadblocks in their application process.
Welcome to State-Controlled Landscaping: Where Even Your Potted Plants Require Government Approval
By Diana Nicole
April 10 2025
HOMEOWNERS’ RIGHTS – In fire-prone parts of California, a quiet but sweeping transformation is underway—one that will determine not just how we defend homes from wildfire, but how much freedom we have in our own yards.
Soon, under a new state mandate, homeowners in designated fire zones may no longer be allowed to grow a lavender bush next to their deck. A mature tree near the corner of the house may be declared a risk, even if it is well maintained, provides shade, privacy, and a place for birds. And that potted lemon tree? Too tall, too close to a window, and suddenly—noncompliant.
Aleshire & Wynder Secures Another Court Victory Protecting Local Control and Charter Rights
Aleshire & Wynder
April 09, 2025
Orange County Superior Court Ruling Upholds Charter City Rights Against State Challenge
“This decision reinforces the constitutional rights of charter cities and the importance of protecting local control and voter-approved laws.”— Anthony Taylor
Aleshire & Wynder, LLP is proud to announce another significant court victory defending the rights of charter cities under the California Constitution.
Los Gatos files lawsuit to clarify California’s ‘builder’s remedy’ law
By NOLLYANNE DELACRUZ
April 3, 2025
Los Gatos is asking for a judge to weigh in on a conflicting interpretation regarding builder’s remedy applications.
The town filed a lawsuit last week at the Santa Clara County Superior Court for clarification regarding the application process for builder’s remedy housing projects. Builder’s remedy is a controversial provision that allows developers to build a project of whatever height and size wherever they would like in cities that don’t have a state-certified housing element.
New study by Fed economists directly contradicts Yimby narrative on housing prices
By Tim Redmond
March 27, 2025
Constraints on development, including zoning and environmental rules, have little or no impact on housing prices in the United States, a new study from economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco shows.
The study, also connected to the National Bureau of Economic Research, directly contradicts the fundamental economic thesis that has driven housing policy in the state for years: That development constraints have created high housing prices.
California Legislature Releases Sweeping Bill Package to Fast Track Housing Production
In a unified effort to tackle California’s housing crisis, a bipartisan and bicameral group of legislators today unveiled the Fast Track Housing package — a suite of more than 20 bills aimed at making housing more affordable by slashing red tape, removing uncertainty, and drastically diminishing the time it takes to get new housing approved and built. This package builds off the recommendations in the Final Report of the Select Committee on Permitting Reform, chaired by Asm. Wicks.
Will this bill be the end of California’s housing vs environment wars?
BY BEN CHRISTOPHER
MARCH 26, 2025
In the recurring legislative fight between YIMBY legislators and defenders of California’s signature environmental law, one bill could be a final legislative showdown.
For years California has been stuck in a recurring fight between legislators who want the state to turbocharge new home construction and legislators determined to defend a landmark environmental protection law.
The final showdown in that long-standing battle may have just arrived.
California Coastal Commission under ‘assault’ from right, left
By Soumya Karlamangla, THE NEW YORK TIMES
March 24, 2025
In a hotel meeting room two blocks from the beach, the California Coastal Commission might as well have written “SOS” in the sand.
“We are under complete assault,” said Susan Lowenberg, a member of the coast preservation commission, which was born in the 1970s from the same movement that gave rise to Earth Day and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “We need help.”
Marin Voice: State housing mandates for Marin don’t add up
By AMOS KLAUSNER
March 24, 2025
Make no mistake, Marin County is undergoing radical change that will destroy many of the things we appreciate most about our communities.
I blame political know-it-alls in Sacramento, who are making it easier for developers to build oversized, out-of-character housing projects across our small cities and even smaller towns. This new class of unregulated development eschews local norms and local control, clashing with the culture that attracted us to the county in the first place.