Housing Laws and DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES

What is Senate Bill (SB) 330?

SB330, “The Housing Crisis Act of 2019,” was signed into law by Governor Newsom on October 9, 2019, and became effective on January 1, 2020. The bill establishes a statewide housing emergency to be in effect until January 1, 2030. The Housing Crisis Act allows, for an applicant to submit a preliminary application for a housing development project to review the proposed development against the existing zoning, design, subdivision, and fee requirements that will apply to the housing development project throughout the review, vesting or freezing the proposed development to existing laws and regulations at the time of submittal.

What is Senate Bill (SB) 35?

SB35, which added the “Streamlined Approval Process” Section 65913.4 to the Government Code, was signed into law by Governor Newsom on September 29, 2017, and became effective on January 1, 2018. The bill provides for a streamlined, ministerial approval process for multi-unit housing projects of two or more residential units or mixed-use, subject to certain conditions and consistent with objective zoning and design review standards.  Please note: The City is currently exempt from SB35 at this time. 

What is Senate Bill (SB) 9?

California Senate Bill 9 was signed by Governor Newsom on September 16, 2021, and became effective on January 1, 2022. This bill requires a proposed housing development containing two residential units within a single-family residential zone to be reviewed administratively if the proposed development meets certain requirements. Senate Bill 9 (SB 9) also requires a local agency to administrative approve an urban lot split in a single-family residential zone if it meets certain requirements, including a minimum lot size of 1,200 square feet.

What is Senate Bill (SB) 6 and Assembly Bill (AB) 2011?

SB6 and AB2011, both effective on July 1, 2023, create processes and standards to permit residential development on sites zoned and designated for commercial and retail uses. 

Early Consultation

Early consultation with the Development Services team is strongly recommended since zoning and housing requirements may apply that could affect the anticipated scope of a project and its ability to remain vested after an application is submitted. 

Eligible Housing Development Projects

A "Housing Development project" is a use consisting of any of the following: 

  1. Residential units only.
  2. Mixed-use developments with at least two-thirds of the square footage designated for residential use.
  3.  Transitional housing or supportive housing.