California Sues Huntington Beach Over Housing Violations

California Governor Gavin Newsom along with AG Rob Bonta and the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) have filed a lawsuit against the City of Huntington Beach for violating state housing laws. The suit states that Huntington Beach knowingly flouted state housing laws which threatens a statewide effort to increase the availability of low- to middle-income housing opportunities in the midst of a statewide crisis.

According to the state, Huntington Beach did not process applications for property owners to build so-called “granny flats” and willfully rejected the builder’s remedy process. “Huntington Beach has decided to slam the door in homeowners’ faces,” said Bonta. “No one gets to pick and choose the laws they want to follow.”

Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Gates disagreed, saying they are accepting accessory dwelling unit applications and that the state has overreached. According to the Orange County Register, Mayor Tony Strickland called the lawsuit “a bunch of bluster” and the state’s press conference to announce the suit, “nothing but grandstanding.”

Meanwhile, Huntington Beach has filed its own lawsuit against California challenging the state-mandated goal of planning over 13,000 new homes by 2030. Strickland claims the state is using unconstitutional means of stripping charter cities of their ability to make their own decisions.

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