Overview
- Huntington Beach’s petition for review was denied on Dec. 11, leaving intact an appellate decision that rejects the city’s charter-city defense and mandates judicial remedies.
- The appellate ruling directs the trial court to enter an order requiring a compliant housing element within 120 days and authorizes limits on permitting, zoning, and subdivision approvals until compliance.
- A prior order requires the city to zone for at least 13,368 homes this decade, including significant capacity for affordable units, without obligating the city to build them itself.
- The state’s lawsuit, filed in March 2023, led to a May 15, 2024 trial court finding that Huntington Beach violated Housing Element Law, and the state is now seeking civil penalties of $50,000 per month for continued noncompliance.
- The city’s separate federal challenge was dismissed by lower federal courts, and its petition for U.S. Supreme Court review remains pending.