There's a New Twist in California's Housing Battle — And a S.F. Project Has a Starring Role

West Coast Land Use and Environment attorneys Daniel Golub and Jennifer Hernandez were cited by San Francisco Business Times in an article about housing project delays that have caught the attention of California's Department of Housing and Community Development. These delays are caused by clashes between the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the Housing Accountability Act (HAA).

Mr. Golub explained that if any of these housing delays goes to court, one statute might not win out over the other.

"If you're going to give the HAA any force and effect at all," he said. "It cannot be rendered ineffective by just saying the word 'CEQA.'"

Ms. Hernandez commented that balancing this relationship requires meaningful reform, which has yet to materialize. Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed more than a dozen CEQA reform bills since entering office but has made "less than zero" progress on actual reform, she added.

READ: There's a New Twist in California's Housing Battle — And a S.F. Project Has a Starring Role