{"id":2630800,"date":"2026-07-16T17:33:01","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T21:33:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-sues-five-cities-over-lack-of-housing-plans\/"},"modified":"2026-07-16T17:36:48","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T21:36:48","slug":"california-sues-five-cities-over-lack-of-housing-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-sues-five-cities-over-lack-of-housing-plans\/","title":{"rendered":"California sues five cities over lack of housing plans"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcalifornia-sues-five-cities-over-lack-of-housing-plans%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2630800&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>California has filed lawsuits against five cities-Calexico, Costa Mesa, Half Moon Bay, Ridgecrest, and Turlock-for failing to comply wiht <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/coronado-settles-in-state-housing-lawsuit-agrees-to-zone-for-more-housing\/\" title=\"Coronado settles housing lawsuit, agrees to zone for additional homes.\">state housing laws<\/a>, marking a step in Governor Gavin Newsom&#8217;s efforts to pressure local governments to develop more housing plans. These cities are overdue in adopting the legally mandated housing plans aimed at addressing California&#8217;s ongoing housing shortage. While over 95% of cities and counties have complied, these remaining jurisdictions have been formally notified and given opportunities to respond before legal action was taken. The state emphasizes the importance of compliance, warning that noncompliance can lead to penalties, loss of development authority, and fines directed toward affordable housing projects. The lawsuits follow previous enforcement actions and settlements with other cities. Newsom has prioritized housing reform as part of his administration&#8217;s agenda, which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-biden-administration-let-migrants-apply-for-asylum-on-an-app-they-still-crossed-the-border-illegally\/\" title=\"Biden Admin allowed asylum app, but migrants still crossed border illegally\">includes stricter enforcement<\/a>, streamlining development processes, and increasing funding for affordable housing and homelessness programs.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/california\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"60\">California<\/a> filed lawsuits Thursday against five cities that state officials say have repeatedly failed to comply with state housing laws, marking the latest escalation in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/gavin-newsom\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1426\">Gov. Gavin Newsom\u2019s<\/a> (D-CA) pressure campaign on local governments to plan for more housing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The legal action targets Calexico, Costa Mesa, Half Moon Bay, Ridgecrest, and Turlock, all of which the state claims are years overdue in adopting state-approved <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/housing\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1273\">housing plans<\/a> required under law.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4652097\/don-lemon-president-2028-speculation\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Don Lemon says he\u2019s \u2018totally serious\u2019 that he would be \u2018a really good president\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4651506\/coast-guard-ends-search-three-boaters-alcatraz-disaster\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Coast Guard ends search for three boaters after Alcatraz disaster<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4651111\/texas-flood-close-camp-mystic\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Texas floods get close to where Camp Mystic was<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Newsom said the lawsuits are intended to ensure every jurisdiction contributes to addressing the state\u2019s persistent housing shortage.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCalifornia can\u2019t solve the housing crisis while some cities sit on their hands and dare us to do something about it,\u201d the governor said in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/2026\/07\/16\/no-more-excuses-newsom-administration-takes-legal-action-against-five-california-local-governments-for-defying-state-housing-law\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/2026\/07\/16\/no-more-excuses-newsom-administration-takes-legal-action-against-five-california-local-governments-for-defying-state-housing-law\/\">statement.<\/a> \u201cThese five jurisdictions had every chance to follow the law and plan for their fair share of housing. They chose not to, so now they\u2019ll answer for it in court.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">State officials say more than 95% of cities and counties have adopted compliant housing elements, which include plans that outline how local governments intend to accommodate housing at all income levels, leaving a small number of jurisdictions still lagging.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/oag.ca.gov\/about\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/oag.ca.gov\/about\">Attorney General Rob Bonta<\/a> said the state has exhausted efforts to bring the five cities into compliance before turning to litigation.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCalifornia\u2019s housing crisis demands action, not excuses,\u201d Bonta said in a statement. \u201cTimely compliance is not optional.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each city received formal notices of violation, opportunities to respond, and multiple meetings with state officials before the cases were referred to the attorney general\u2019s office.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under California law, every city and county must routinely update its housing element to demonstrate how it will <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >meet state-assigned housing goals<\/a>. Jurisdictions that fail to do so may face significant consequences, including the loss of authority to deny certain qualifying housing developments under the state\u2019s \u201cBuilder\u2019s Remedy.\u201d A 2024 law also authorizes civil penalties for continued noncompliance, with fines directed toward affordable housing projects in the offending community.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The lawsuits follow a string of enforcement actions against local governments during Newsom\u2019s tenure. The state has previously reached settlements with several cities, including Hollister, Malibu, Fullerton, and Coronado, requiring them to bring their housing plans into compliance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/4651630\/stephen-a-smith-slams-newsom-gender-affirming-care\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"4651630\">\u2018DAMN SOCIALIST\u2019: STEPHEN A. SMITH SLAMS NEWSOM ON GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The administration also pointed to Huntington Beach as an example of the state\u2019s increasingly aggressive approach. A judge earlier this year ordered the city to pay $160,000 after it failed to adopt a compliant housing element, with additional penalties of $50,000 per month until it complies.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Newsom, who is termed out of office this year and is widely expected to launch a 2028 presidential bid, has made housing a centerpiece of his administration, pairing tougher enforcement of local housing laws with moves to streamline development approvals and expand funding for affordable housing and homelessness programs. The administration says it is prepared to pursue additional legal action against jurisdictions that continue to ignore state housing requirements.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>California sues five cities over housing law violations<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2646,"featured_media":2630801,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/bonta-new.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[4045,82821,36587,32142,49636],"class_list":["post-2630800","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-california","tag-city-lawsuits","tag-housing-crisis","tag-legal-action","tag-urban-planning"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/bonta-new.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630800","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2646"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2630800"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630800\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2630804,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630800\/revisions\/2630804"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2630801"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2630800"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2630800"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2630800"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}