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Los Angeles

California designates Santa Monica a “prohousing” city

Locale that kicked off builder’s remedy craze moves to front of line for state funding

Governor Gavin Newswom; Santa Monica Mayor Phil Brock (Getty, City of Santa Monica)
Governor Gavin Newswom; Santa Monica Mayor Phil Brock (Getty, City of Santa Monica)

Santa Monica, subject of more than a dozen builder’s remedy housing applications, has won recognition as a “prohousing” city by the state.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the beach city earned the designation by accelerating housing approvals and maneuvering around red tape, L.A. Business First reported.

He also named Eureka, Healdsburg, Mountain View, Petaluma, San Luis Obispo and Tulare County among the California jurisdictions supportive of home development.

Officials in each city will work with the state on affordable housing growth.

Prohousing communities, of which 37 have been named, aim to support a state goal of building 2.5 million new homes by 2030 by reducing barriers to construction and relaxing housing policies.

The communities, which include Los Angeles, Long Beach, Riverside, Moreno Valley, Fontana and Needles, are also favored by the Department of Housing and Community Development when it comes to state incentives and infrastructure funding.

Santa Monica has made strides in housing in part through its Affordable Housing Production Program, according to the state.

The program requires developers of market-rate apartment projects to contribute to affordable housing. 

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Some 30 percent of newly constructed multifamily housing in Santa Monica must be affordable to and occupied by low- and moderate-income households. Restrictions in income are placed on the property for a 55-year period.

Santa Monica was among the first cities where developers took advantage of the builder’s remedy. The loophole in state housing law allows builders to bypass local zoning rules in cities that had failed to certify their housing plans, provided the project includes at least 20 percent affordable housing.

In 2022, Santa Monica-based WS Communities helped kick off a statewide mania — and a local panic — by filing more than a dozen builder’s remedy applications that totalled more than 4,500 units.

Last May, the developer cut a deal with the city to table all but one of its 14 applications. 

Newsom said the state needs to “aggressively build more housing” to support Californians.

“Prohousing cities move to the front of the line when it comes to incentives, funding and other state resources. It’s critical for more communities to join in this distinction and build their fair share of housing,” the governor said in a statement.

— Dana Bartholomew

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Affordable HousingBuilder’s RemedyProhousing community