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.
YIMBYs on their heels as race for mayor heats up
By Gabe Greschler
March 27, 2024
After a March primary election that was dominated by public safety, the upcoming mayoral contest appears to be quickly pivoting to another issue San Franciscans often disagree on. You guessed it: Housing. And, for now, the people clamoring to build more of it are on the back foot.
On Tuesday, seven supervisors stood behind Board President Aaron Peskin and his legislation that seeks to preserve a handful of blocks in Telegraph Hill, an area home to some buildings dating back to the Gold Rush era.
Are California Housing Mandates Ending Community Involvement And Character Of Cities? | Amy Kalish | Lydia Kou
Siyamak Khorrami
March 24, 2024
“The goal is to densify every town in the state. To densify it so that’d be walking around, not driving. In some places, it doesn’t work. But this whole policy has been applied as “one size fits all” with no complaining.”
Siyamak sits down with Amy Kalish, with https://citizenmarin.org/. She’s been studying what the Housing Mandates are for different cities in California. Amy’s going to tell us what’s happening with California communities.
Speculators and Affordability, not NIMBY and YIMBY
LINCOLN MITCHELL
MAR 23, 2024
The discussion of housing in San Francisco remains mired in the inane polarized labeling of NIMBY and YIMBY. Neither of these terms are accurate and both obscure much of the nuance around a debate that is about much more than whether or not to build more housing.
Judge: Huntington Beach likely to lose housing case, must approve development projects
By MICHAEL SLATEN |
PUBLISHED: March 22, 2024
Huntington Beach is likely to lose its state housing lawsuit for its refusal to plan for more housing and must approve new housing projects that come before it, a San Diego Superior Court judge ruled Thursday, March 21.
The judge suspended some of Huntington Beach’s development authority in a ruling that prevents the city from rejecting housing developments that meet state density requirements.
New bill may boost state enforcement powers over housing law
by Ruth Dusseault and Bay City News Service
March 22, 2024
California’s attorney general may be getting more muscle to discipline local governments that have violated state housing law via a new bill that would allow fines to be levied more quickly.
Under Senate Bill 1037, announced Wednesday by Attorney General Rob Bonta and state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, the attorney general could seek new penalties to be assessed from the date of a violation.
California Legislature rushes to spring recess
BY LYNN LA
MARCH 22, 2024
Thursday marked the final day for the Legislature before its starts a week-long spring break. So lawmakers were busy proposing and hearing some bills on contentious issues with deadlines coming up in late April and early May for them to advance.
The Case Against YIMBYism
Michael Friedrich/
March 15, 2024
Sonja Trauss, the charismatic founder of the YIMBY movement, recently spoke at a conference of fellow travelers about the importance of supporting small home builders. “Most neighborhoods are still zoned low-density, and so if you’re seeing new housing, it’s going to be small projects,” she said at Austin’s YIMBYtown 2024. Trauss bemoaned the onerous regulations, fees, and paperwork—not to mention meddling homeowners—that make it so hard for small firms to build
Why the Wiener housing bills will never work—and could destroy the coast. A detailed primer
By MICHAEL BARNES
MARCH 12, 2024
Coastal zone residents will soon discover how dysfunctional the latest California Regional Housing Assessment has become.
The RHNA (pronounced REE-na) process, and the housing elements based on it, have always been bureaucratic, expensive, and ineffective. But thanks to the intervention of state Senator Scott Wiener, RHNA has been twisted into a profit-making tool for corporate developers.
Livermore Petition Refusal is Ruled Unconstitutional
Coalition for Balanced Growth
March 7, 2024
Livermore city staff acted unconstitutionally when they refused to process referendum petitions for a vote of the people. This is another major court decision against the City of Livermore. Winning and losing in court is an occasional occurrence for most cities. Comparatively, this may be the most serious illegal activity the City of Livermore has ever accomplished.