California Surplus Land Act
The California Surplus Land Act, first established in 1968, requires local agencies to prioritize affordable housing development when disposing of surplus public land. Under this law, public entities must first declare the property as surplus and then offer it to affordable housing developers and other specified entities before selling or leasing it on the open market. The Act was updated in 2019 with AB 1486 to strengthen its provisions and expand its scope, aiming to address California's housing crisis by ensuring that excess public land is used to create housing for low-income residents.
Learn more about the California Surplus Land Act by reading the most recent SLA guidelines posted by the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
California State Density Bonus Law
The California State Density Bonus Law, enacted in 1979, incentivizes developers to include affordable housing in their developments by allowing them to build more units than typically permitted under local zoning laws. The law provides density bonuses, concessions, or waivers for developments that include a specified percentage of affordable housing for low-income, very low-income, or moderate-income households, as well as for senior citizens and residents with disabilities. The density bonus can increase density by as much as 80%. The goal is to increase the supply of affordable housing in California by making it more economically viable for developers to include these units in their projects. The law has been amended multiple times to enhance its effectiveness and address evolving housing needs in the state.
Guide to California State Density Bonus Law
State Housing Accountability Act and State Housing Crisis Act
The State Housing Accountability Act, also known as the "Anti-NIMBY Law," limits the ability of local governments to deny, reduce the density of, or make infeasible housing developments that comply with local zoning and general plan rules, especially when the project includes affordable housing. Enacted in 1982 and strengthened over time, the law aims to prevent local actions that hinder housing production. The State Housing Crisis Act, enacted in 2019 under SB 330, further accelerates housing development by streamlining the approval process, capping certain fees, and prohibiting local governments from downzoning or reducing housing capacity in response to California’s severe housing shortage. Together, these laws aim to promote housing construction and combat the state’s housing crisis.
