by William Fulton

Patterns since the beginning of the pandemic suggest that there might be a slight rebalancing of population and housing in California. But persisently high prices seem to show that other factors are at work.

Combination of legislation and administrative changes would expand state housing agency's oversight and power over local government housing elements in many significant ways.

The law says it's supposed to promote "affordable housing," but L.A. judge throws the lot-split law out because it doesn't guarantee deed-restricted below-market rate units.

U.S. Supreme Court rules unanimously that California's unique exactions rule is unconstitutional. But will it really require California cities and counties to scale back on exactions?

Locals officials are agents of the state when they are adopting an SB 10 ordinance, thus allowing them to overrule density caps imposed by voters, judges say.

New legislation would try to give both cities and developers something they want, while putting guardrails on builder's remedy projects. Meanwhile, HCD revoked Portola Valley's housing element approval. 

A private gun club leasing land from the City of Ukiah in Mendocino County expanded -- with ministerial review from the city and no review at all from the county. An appellate court has decided that's not okay.

Concluding that the Attorney General's Office is likely to win its case against the recalcitrant city, the judge granted both temporary relief and a preliminary injunction while the case moves forward.

Grant program would focus on commercial-to-residential conversions, community land trusts social housing, and more. Whether the idea will get through Congress is another story -- but it's part of a big Biden effort on housing supply and affordability.

CEQA lawsuit claims county's mitigation measures on land use, agricultural mitigation and other issues are vague, unenforceable and  will induce sprawl. 

Appellate court says revised disposition and development agreement was not merely a "quasi-judicial action" under the redevelopment wind-down law.