After nearly three years, these Bay Area cities still lack a state-approved housing plan

"Nearly three years after the state's deadline, a Bay Area county and three cities across the region still haven't finalized their state-mandated housing plans, leaving them vulnerable to fines, loss of grant funding and the dreaded builder's remedy, which can cost them control over land use decisions. San Mateo County and the cities of Half Moon Bay, Belvedere and Clayton have yet to secure state approval for their plans, which were due by Jan. 31, 2023."

"Every eight years, local governments across California are required to submit the plans, known as housing elements, which serve as roadmaps for how cities and counties aim to permit a specific number of homes across a range of affordability levels. Following decades of sluggish development and skyrocketing housing costs, state officials have significantly increased the homebuilding targets for most jurisdictions and added new penalties for those failing to complete their plans on time."

"Despite the threat of stricter penalties, housing advocates say the few remaining municipalities without completed housing elements appear to lack a sense of urgency in obtaining the state's sign-off. They're mostly small and wealthy jurisdictions that probably feel they don't have any obligation and that they can hire enough lawyers to get out of whatever obligation the state imposes on them, said Matt Regan, a housing policy expert with the Bay Area Council, a pro-business group."

San Mateo County and the cities of Half Moon Bay, Belvedere and Clayton have not secured state approval for their housing elements, which were due Jan. 31, 2023. Housing elements are required every eight years and map how jurisdictions will permit specified numbers of homes across affordability levels. State officials raised homebuilding targets for most jurisdictions and added penalties for late or incomplete plans. The Bay Area must add 441,000 homes from 2023 to 2031, up from 187,990 previously. The region is behind schedule because of high interest rates and other market forces. Some small, wealthy jurisdictions appear to lack urgency; other local officials say they worked closely with regulators to finalize complex plans.

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