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. 

But in a mixed bag of ballot measures on the March ballot, Santa Cruz shot down a slow-growth policy in the downtown, while Chico defeated two ballot measures that would have permitted a new development, and Mountain House voters OK'd cityhood.

After a review, HCD has told San Francisco it must start reforming its entitlement process by Thanksgiving or else. Will the state start investigating other cities' entitlement processes as well? 

Some important bills passed this year. But unless the Legislature is willing to take on CEQA directly, there may not be a whole lot more to do on the land use front to encourage more housing production.

But San Francisco Bay island project faces a very different market than it would have a few years ago.

Developer claims that under the Density Bonus Law, density and height can be calculated based on the entire site, not just an individual building.

In the wake of the pandemic, some California downtowns are stronger than ever. Others resemble the walking dead. Both scenarios have inspired planners to get creative.  

Especially in the Bay Area, cities are beginning to tax vacant units and vacant land in an attempt to bring more housing onto the market.