CP&DR Podcast Apr. 14, 2020: Housing Crash; Fiscal Strains; Legal Update

At least $500 million in state and federal funds is available to help get planning departments past the COVID-19 financial crisis. More is likely on the way.

The city had denied the project, claiming it was inconsistent with the general plan. But the judge, a former city council member, said the inconsistency was not identified during the "shot clock" period under the Housing Accountability Act.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed major infill housing reform with the budget, meaning the changes take place immediately. But on the non-residential side, it's still "Swiss-cheese CEQA," and there's no relief for greenfield proejcts. 

The First District Court of Appeal published a ruling that favored the City of Eureka over opponents of an affordable housing project downtown. The city had separated the surplusing of the land from the selection of the affordable housing developer. 

Environmentalists, unions force Wiener to back off of SB 607. It's unclear what the final bill will look like.

Wiener's bill to give transit agencies great power over development on their land got pushback at the Housing Committee but passed. Another Wiener bill that would have expanded his previous bills was killed. 

New bills by Wiener and Wicks take dead aim at the way CEQA is structured. Is the long-awaited final showdown on CEQA reform finally here?

Yes, the rooftop deck near the University of Southern California doesn't create a significant impact under CEQA, as per the People's Park case. But the City of Los Angeles still must find that the project conforms with an old redevelopment plan.

If it includes a disposition and development agreement with a specific development program, the answer is yes, according to a San Diego judge.

Altogether the governor signed more than 40 planning and development bills, vetoing only one bill designed to encourage conversion of old office buildings to housing, apparently because off the labor standards contained in the bill.

Legislation includes everything expanding SB 9 to guardrails on builders remedy to clarifying how a housing element can be deemed compliant. About 15 planning and development bills remain on the governor's desk.

San Diego judge rules that Santee couldn't end-run a voter referendum by repealing approval and then passing an emergency ordinance moving the project forward. SB 330 was no help.