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Keeping an eye on Piedmont’s ADU Gymnastics
State ADU law makes the requirements for cities’ permitting process fairly clear: ADU permits “shall be considered ministerially, without discretionary review or hearing” and local ordinances “shall provide an approval process that includes only ministerial provisions for the approval of accessory dwelling units and shall not include any discretionary processes, provisions, or requirements for those
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CaRLA is Growing, California Can Too
This week, CaRLA and Sonja Trauss agreed to part ways. Sonja played a central role in co-founding and establishing CaRLA as the leading pro-housing legal advocate in California. Her hard work and dedication helped build CaRLA into what it is today. CaRLA remains committed to our mission of restoring a legal environment in which California
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Whats at stake in CaRLA v San Mateo?
This Thursday is the court hearing for our case against the City of San Mateo, but what is at stake? Housing, of course, but we’re not just here to get housing built project-by-project. We’re here to restore a legal environment in which California builds housing equal to its needs through public impact litigation. We hope
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Thursday: CaRLA v San Mateo
This Thursday at 2pm in San Mateo Superior Court, we’ll be having our first court hearing in CaRLA v San Mateo. Previously, it was rescheduled from earlier this year, with a request for further briefing. This case has been a long time coming, and looks to touch on some issues of statewide significance. To be
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How to Make Your Home a Triplex
Do you own a single family home in California, but wish you could do more than just advocacy to help the housing shortage? Congratulations! You can soon turn your one home into three thanks to this year’s state legislation on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). Nearly all single-family properties in California will be able to add
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Calabasas says SB 13 renders our lawsuit moot. We disagree.
Our demurrer hearing in CaRLA v Calabasas got delayed last week, as the city managed to convince the court that SB 13’s passage and imminent signing by Governor Newsom may render our lawsuit moot. Our hearing has now been rescheduled to October 29th at 1:30pm. In our opposition brief, we argue that signing SB 13
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Making Sense of This Year’s ADU Legislation
California’s ADU law establishes statewide standards for local regulations governing accessory dwelling unit development. These standards have paved the way for a steady increase in ADU development throughout the state, as homeowners take advantage of the opportunity to legalize pre-existing second units and add additional units. Unfortunately, state law still allows local governments to enact
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Court delays our hearing and asks for further briefing in San Mateo
Last month we were supposed to have our first hearing in our San Mateo lawsuit, however, the judge ordered it be rescheduled to October 24th to allow for further briefing on some fairly heavy issues. Here’s what the court sent us: The court is asking both us and the city to expand on the following
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Tomorrow: CaRLA v San Mateo
Remember when we filed suit against the City of San Mateo for their unlawful denial of 10 homes next to Caltrain? Tomorrow we’re finally having our day in court. San Mateo Superior Court, 2PM, Department 28. Peep our brief: The hearing is open to the public, just like any other court hearing. Come for the
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The End of Single Family Zoning in San Francisco
Today, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance that will allow for all new single-family homes to be developed as duplexes, by including an accessory dwelling unit (ADU). Further, the ordinance would exempt ADUs added to existing single-family homes from the city’s cumbersome discretionary review process. These changes bring the San Francisco rules
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Calabasas Wants Housing for Cars, Not People
On May 23rd, 2019, California Renters Legal Advocacy & Education Fund filed suit to force Calabasas (in LA County) to follow state housing law. In January 2019, Calabasas City Council passed an ADU ordinance ostensibly to bring their code into compliance with state law. However, they couldn’t quite bring themselves to comply. Calabasas has always
