AB 1505: Land use: zoning regulations.

The Planning and Zoning Law authorizes the legislative body of any county or city to adopt ordinances regulating zoning within its jurisdiction, as specified.

This bill would additionally authorize the legislative body of any county or city to adopt ordinances to require, as a condition of development of residential rental units, that the development include a certain percentage of residential rental units affordable to, and occupied by, moderate-income, lower income, very low income, or extremely low income households or by persons and families of low or moderate income, as specified, and would declare the intent of the Legislature in adding this provision.

This bill would also authorize the Department of Housing and Community Development, within 10 years of the adoption or amendment of an ordinance by a county or city after September 15, 2017, that requires as a condition of the development of residential rental units that more than 15% of the total number of units rented in the development be affordable to, and occupied by, households at 80% or less of the area median income, to review that ordinance if the county or city meets specified conditions. The bill would authorize the department to request, and require that the county or city provide, evidence that the ordinance does not unduly constrain the production of housing by submitting an economic feasibility study that meets specified standards. If the department finds that economic feasibility study does not meet these standards, or if the county or city fails to submit the study within 180 days, the bill would require the county or city to limit any requirement to provide rental units in a development affordable to households at 80% or less of the area median income to no more than 15% of the total number of units in the development. The bill would require the department to report any findings made pursuant to these provisions to the Legislature. The bill would also declare that these provisions regarding department review of certain land use ordinances address a matter of statewide concern.