Housing

Housing Element Law Overview

California Housing Element Manual 5th Ed., Law, Advocacy, and Litigation (March 2023)

This manual is a summary of California’s landmark land use planning requirement for housing. The guide covers review, advocacy, and litigation for this plan.
Appendices include excerpts from California’s land use laws and materials from the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Updated March 2023.  If you have any questions, please email us at publications@pilpca.org.

Inclusionary Zoning

Inclusionary Zoning Revitalized—AB 1505 (2018)

Inclusionary Zoning After Palmer & Patterson (May 2010)

Inclusionary Zoning: Legal Issues (December 2002)

Inclusionary Zoning: Policy Considerations and Best Practices (December 2002)

Inclusionary zoning policies require a certain percentage of all new housing to be made affordable to lower income households. Over 100 cities and counties in California have adopted such a policy. PILP has produced three publications on inclusionary zoning policies in California. The first and second publications discuss the legal issues relating to inclusionary zoning policies. The third provides an overview of best practices – suggested policy approaches that have proven effective in practice.

Surplus Land Act Materials

The California Legislature amended the Surplus Land Act in 2019, AB 1486 (Ting), to substantially strengthen the provisions of the law to prioritize affordable housing development.

AB 1486 Frequently Asked Questions on the Surplus Land Act and a flow chart for the process.

Surplus Land Act (AB 1486)-Understanding the SLA (Presentation Slides on AB 1486)

In April 2021, the Department of Housing and Community Development issued guidance on the amended Surplus Land Act.

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Challenging the Constitutionality of California’s CARE Act

The CARE Act’s new court-ordered system of involuntary outpatient treatment, CARE Court, violates the due process rights of thousands of Californians with disabilities and disproportionately targets people of color who are over-and-misdiagnosed with schizophrenia. PILP, in partnership with Disability Rights California (DRC) and Western Center on Law & Poverty, filed an original petition for writ of mandate to the California Supreme Court.

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Senate Bill 197 Extends Housing Element Rezoning Deadline for Certain Jurisdictions

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Judge Denies San Luis Obispo’s Motion to Dismiss Case Brought by Unhoused Residents

Federal Judge Cormac J. Carney resoundingly rejected the City of San Luis Obispo’s motion to dismiss, allowing a case brought by unhoused residents and Hope’s Village of SLO to move forward.

Learn More

Challenging the Constitutionality of California’s CARE Act

The CARE Act’s new court-ordered system of involuntary outpatient treatment, CARE Court, violates the due process rights of thousands of Californians with disabilities and disproportionately targets people of color who are over-and-misdiagnosed with schizophrenia. PILP, in partnership with Disability Rights California (DRC) and Western Center on Law & Poverty, filed an original petition for writ of mandate to the California Supreme Court.

Learn More

Senate Bill 197 Extends Housing Element Rezoning Deadline for Certain Jurisdictions

Learn More

Judge Denies San Luis Obispo’s Motion to Dismiss Case Brought by Unhoused Residents

Federal Judge Cormac J. Carney resoundingly rejected the City of San Luis Obispo’s motion to dismiss, allowing a case brought by unhoused residents and Hope’s Village of SLO to move forward.

Learn More