SACRAMENTO Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced that Artesia has agreed to a settlement to resolve violations of state housing law, putting the city on an expedited timeline to submit a compliant housing element to the Department of Housing and Community Development. If approved by the court, the new plan will create 1,069 new homes, including 608 that will be affordable for very low-, low-, and moderate-income Californians.
All cities are required to adopt a compliant housing element. The housing element is a crucial tool for building housing for moderate-, low-, and very low-income Californians.
The settlement, which was entered into after the city failed to submit a compliant housing element, lays out deadlines for the City to revise the housing element of its general plan for the period from 2021 to 2029, holds the city accountable for its failure to do so before the statutory deadline, and clarifies the consequences of continued non-compliance with the Housing Element Law.
I commend the City of Artesia for doing the right thing. Instead of continuing to kick the can down the road, the City has finally committed to do its part to plan for the regions housing needs, said Attorney General Rob Bonta. Cities and counties that still have not adopted compliant housing elements should pay close attention. The deadline for compliance passed years ago, and so, this settlement includes new enforcement tools. Planning for housing is not an abstract exercise. Californians need quality homes that they can afford. Governor Newsom, HCD Director Velasquez, and I will continue fighting to ensure that every local government no matter how small or big follows state law and helps address our states housing crisis.
Among other things, a compliant housing element must include an assessment of housing needs, an inventory of resources and constraints relevant to meeting those needs, and a program to implement the policies, goals, and objectives of the housing element. Once the housing element is adopted, it is implemented through zoning ordinances and other actions that put its objectives into effect and facilitate the construction of new homes for Californians at all income levels.
After repeated attempts to assist the city come into compliance, HCDs Housing Accountability Unit launched by Governor Newsom in 2021 issued a Notice of Violation in May 2023. The City responded with a proposed timeline for compliance, but then failed to meet its own deadline. HCD issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) in October 2024. Todays agreement holds Artesia to a binding timeline for compliance, with clear legal and financial consequences for any further delays.
This outcome further reinforces Californias housing laws that ensure every locality is doing its part to build homes and address this crisis, said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez. HCD stands ready to help Artesia and all local jurisdictions comply with state housing law, and we will continue to demand accountability from jurisdictions falling short of that critical responsibility.