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

SACRAMENTO — California Gov. Gavin Newsom delivered a blunt ultimatum on March 25, 2026, to 15 cities and counties failing to plan for housing across all income levels, warning of imminent legal action if they do not comply within 30 days. The Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) 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 — jurisdictions more than two years overdue on their housing elements, the mandated plans under state law dating to 1969. These plans must outline paths to meet regional housing needs, including for low-income residents battered by soaring rents and home prices.

The targeted areas span California's diverse regions: coastal Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County, inland Central Valley powerhouses like Hanford and Turlock in Kings and Stanislaus counties, high-desert Ridgecrest in Kern County, and Southern California's Montclair in San Bernardino County. HCD officials noted these communities lack a feasible path to certification within 60 days, despite extensive technical assistance, signaling deeper resistance to the state's aggressive housing push. Turlock officials acknowledged delays but pledged cooperation to avoid penalties.

Statewide progress offers some relief: 92% of cities and counties — 480 jurisdictions — have adopted compliant housing elements and zoning changes, with 22 more expected soon. Noncompliance invites referral to the attorney general for lawsuits, building on existing court deals with San Bernardino, Coronado, Fullerton, Malibu, La Habra Heights, Artesia and Norwalk, plus active litigation against Huntington Beach. As California's housing shortage fuels median home prices above $800,000 and rents squeezing families from the Bay Area to the Central Valley, Newsom's office framed the warnings as a 'final push' for universal planning.