All four of California's largest cities -- L.A., San Francisco, San Diego, and San Jose -- have taken steps to dramatically expedite housing projects, especially affordable housing projects.
They could simply box in California cities on nexus and proportionality. Or, led by Thomas and Alito, they could throw the bomb and say development is a right and not a privilege
Eight builder's remedy projects in San Jose are downsizing because of the market. Can the city allow the projects to go forward and still meet its RHNA targets?
The affluent San Gabriel Valley city has asserted that late passage of its housing element might protect the city from the builder's remedy, even without HCD approval (which could come soon). But a pending project may be permitted to move forward.
One-for-one mitigation may work for agricultural land or biological resources. But a court has found that it won't work for "The Sphinx" -- a unique and now-demolished brutalist building in downtown San Jose designed by the famous architect Cesar Pelli.
As the recent fights over housing show, there are not "progressive" and "conservative" cities. There are just cities open to change and cities closed to change.
In exchange for vested rights from the City of San Jose, Google has committed to an unprecedented investment in infrastructure, affordable housing, and community benefits.
Cities across California are eliminating parking minimums in order to reduce automobile dependency and promote better urban design. The state legislature is getting in on the act too.
