There already is a law[1] that prevents downzoning: the Housing Element law. Every 7 years, local governments are required to create a document (the Housing Ele

There already is a law[1] that prevents downzoning: the Housing Element law. Every 7 years, local governments are required to create a document (the Housing Element) that demonstrates that they have zoned enough housing for their share of the estimated regional population growth (Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA)). But almost every locality (especially San Francisco) routinely falls short of the allocated housing production[2]. The housing by-right bill is the Governor’s attempt to fix the perceived flaw with the Housing Element law that localities promise that they will allow a certain number of housing units but break their word by rejecting the actual projects during discretionary review. [1] https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&division=1.&title=7.&part=&chapter=3.&article=10.6 https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.x.... [2] http://www.abag.ca.gov/planning/housing/datasets.html#reports http://www.abag.ca.gov/planning/housing/datasets.html#report...