Newsom's Final Warning: 15 CA Cities Face Housing Lawsuits

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom delivered a stark ultimatum on March 25, 2026, to 15 California cities and counties: fix your housing plans or face lawsuits. The California Department of Housing and Community Development sent Notices of Violation to Atwater, Avenal, California City, Corcoran, Escalon, Half Moon Bay, Hanford, Kings County, Lemoore, Merced County, Montclair, Oakdale, Patterson, Ridgecrest and Turlock. These jurisdictions, spanning the Bay Area to the Central Valley and Inland Empire, are over two years late on their housing elements — mandatory plans under state law since 1969 to accommodate regional needs for all income levels.[1][2] The warnings give the communities 30 days to respond, with non-compliance triggering referral to the Attorney General for legal action. State officials noted these 15 are more than 60 days from certification and show no clear path to compliance within 60 days. Meanwhile, 92% of California's 522 cities and counties — 480 total — have adopted compliant housing elements and zoning changes. Another 22 are slated to finalize plans in the coming two months.[1][2] Central California bears much of the brunt, with seven laggards including agricultural hubs Kings County, Merced County, Hanford, Lemoore, Patterson, Atwater and Turlock. Coastal Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County and inland Montclair in San Bernardino County round out the diverse list. The crackdown underscores California's housing emergency, where shortages drive sky-high rents and homelessness, forcing the state to enforce laws mandating plans for low-income, moderate and market-rate homes.[3][1] Newsom's push aims for universal compliance, warning that even on-track communities could join the list if they miss 60-day deadlines. HCD emphasized the plans must zone for real housing production, not just paper promises, amid regional housing needs allocations set by councils like the Southern California Association of Governments.[2]