Matt Haney

The Planning and Zoning Law generally regulates local government zoning and approval of certain types of housing development projects. The law authorizes a development proponent to submit an application for a development that is subject to a prescribed ministerial approval process if the development complies with certain procedural requirements and satisfies specified objective planning standards. The law also requires a housing development project within a specified distance of a transit-oriented development stop to be an allowed use as a transit-oriented housing development on any site zoned for residential, mixed, or commercial development, if the development complies with specified requirements, as applicable.

This bill would, by July 1, 2027, require major transit cities to designate one or more regional transit hub districts and prescribe requirements for those districts, including requiring that a district make a downtown housing development an allowable use, as specified. The bill would prescribe requirements for downtown housing developments, including requiring specified labor standards and requiring the developments to be eligible for streamlined ministerial approval, as specified. The bill would establish the Downtown Revitalization Loan Fund and continuously appropriate moneys in the fund to the California Housing Finance Agency for the purpose of making loans to applicants to develop downtown housing developments, as specified. By establishing a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation. By requiring certain cities to designate regional transit hub districts and requiring streamlined ministerial approval of certain housing developments, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.