The city was already allowing a controversial project to move forward and paying $2.3 millino to the developer in attorneys fees. Now it must subject itself to five years of HCD monitoring and pay $150,000 in attorneys fees to teh state.

The City of Berkeley got hammered in court for violating SB 35 and the HAA by denying a project to be built on a parking lot on Native American shellmound property. Now the city has to pay the developer $2.6 million -- plus attorneys fees.

Two years ago, an appellate panel ruled that the controversial housing proposal should have been processed under SB 35 -- the first major ruling. Now the court has ruled that a local judge had the authority to rule on Housing Accountability Act violations as well.

Elk Grove dispute highlights question in density bonus law over whether a specific plan's ground-floor retail standard is a "fundamental land use zoning standard" that can't be waived -- if such a thing exists.

SB 35 lawsuit -- and HCD action -- still pending despite agreement between city, developer, and neighbors.

The City Councilmembers appointed themselves the final arbiter of whether a project met SB 35 requirements. Then they overruled their own staff. But in the end, it was really just about vagueness and inconsistency between the general plan and the zoning ordinance.

New Census figures show a sharp increase in multifamily projects approved in 2021. Are SB 35 and other new state laws behind the jump?

With dozens of other bills, the Legislature continued to put the squeeze on local governments in the housing arena in 2021.

The high court's ruling appears to clear the way for construction of a 260-unit apartment building in the Spengler's parking lot in Berkeley.

First District says SB 35 doesn't interfere with local powers and trumps Berkeley's historic preservation law regarding the West Berkeley Shellmound.