Regional Housing Needs Assessment

South Bay Area

Wealthy Bay Area Communities Fight Housing Targets

Some California cities and counties are appealing regional housing allocations, which could have a meaningful impact on how and where development occurs over the next decade.

August 16, 2021 - The Mercury News

PCH Santa Monica

Some Santa Monica City Councilmembers Unhappy With Housing Element Update

Local leaders are challenging state-mandated affordable housing requirements for the 2021-2029 cycle.

February 3, 2021 - Santa Monica Daily Press

San Francisco Residential Neighborhoods

State Preemption Hitting Home for California Cities

Recently approved laws that force cities to take a more proactive approach to the state-mandated Regional Housing Needs Assessment process are beginning to take effect in California.

January 29, 2021 - San Francisco Weekly

Del Mar Station TOD

Pasadena Being Held to its Regional Housing Needs Assessment

The city of Pasadena, known for innovative planning approaches to parking and transit-oriented development, is in a pitched battle with regional authorities over how much housing to build in the coming decade.

January 13, 2021 - Pasadena News

Urban Sprawl

Questions in Calculating California's Housing Needs

As California moves to hold local governments accountable for housing production goals, a report finds a 900,000-unit discrepancy. Offered here is the Embarcadero Institute's response to criticism received regarding the report's conclusions.

October 7, 2020 - The Planning Report

Pacific Coast

Housing Litigation by California Attorney General Yields Results

A landmark state lawsuit will be settled if the Huntington Beach City Council approves an amended specific plan that increases housing. The lawsuit was enabled by 2017 legislation strengthening California's 50-year-old housing element law.

January 27, 2020 - Los Angeles Daily News

Sprawl

Regional Planning Paradigm Shift in Southern California

The Southern California Association of Governments, in response to new mandates from the state, has adopted a radical new approach to housing requirements in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.

November 10, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

San Bernardino Skyline

Opinion: Regional Planning Fails the Needs of Southern California's Housing Crisis

The director of a leading "Yes In My Backyard" (YIMBY) organization in Southern California questions the effectiveness of a Regional Housing Needs Assessment methodology recently published by the Southern California Association of Governments.

October 28, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

San Francisco Coast

Housing Threats Dialed Down in California

California's new governor is giving local governments more time to comply with state-mandated housing targets.

March 14, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

California Beach Town

California Sues Huntington Beach for Lack of Housing Development

California's new governor has sent a strong signal to local governments: build housing to comply with state law or else.

January 27, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

San Francisco Houses

CA Gov.: Cities Must Meet Housing Goals or State Will Withhold Gas Tax Funds

Newly inaugurated California Gov. Gavin Newsom made waves on Thursday in his budget address, threatening cities and counties with the possibility of losing a portion of their gas tax subventions if they fail to meet their state housing requirements.

January 14, 2019 - Streetsblog California

California State Capital

Regional Housing Needs Allocation Reform Bill on Gov. Brown's Desk

The lone survivor of Sen. Scott Wiener's trio of "Housing-First Policy" bills awaits a decision by Gov. Jerry Brown. Senate Bill 828, intended to increase the amount of land zoned for housing in California cities, was weakened by amendments.

September 25, 2018 - The Real Deal

California

San Diego County Officials Ask State to Lower Housing Production Goal

The San Diego Association of Governments requested that the number of new housing units that the state housing agency assign the state's second largest county be reduced to more accurately reflect what the 18 cities and county can actually build.

May 15, 2018 - KPBS

Jerry Brown

California Housing Battles Pit Older Liberals Against Younger Progressives

It's the old left, many home-owning seniors, against the younger left, many renter millennials when it comes to housing, according to an NBC report that looks at the local political dynamics underpinning the expensive California housing market.

March 4, 2018 - NBC News

Silicon Valley

Most California Cities Now Subject to State-Mandated Development Streamlining

Given that 97 percent of California cities aren't meeting their housing targets, SB 35, last year's landmark "by-right" housing bill, now applies to projects that contain varying amounts of affordable units.

February 6, 2018 - East Bay Times

Newport Beach High-Rise

Aggressive New 'Housing-First Policy' Proposed in California State Legislature

California State Senator Scott Wiener has established himself as one of the most ardent supporters of pro-housing policy in the state. His announcement this morning continued the theme.

January 4, 2018 - Medium

Suburbia

On California's Broken Housing Requirement System

Liam Dillon has written the exact article for anyone who has every rolled their eyes at the words "housing element" or Regional Housing Needs Assessment.

July 3, 2017 - Los Angeles Times

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.