La Habra Heights and the state of California have come to an agreement after the city was found to have violated the state housing law, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced Friday.
Under their agreement, the city must submit a plan to the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), demonstrating how the city will use the land, no later than July 7, 2025.
And La Habra Heights will be required to create 244 housing units with at least 164 of the homes being affordable to low or very-low-income households.
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Newsom’s office passed the Housing Accountability Act in Sept. 2020 to ensure that cities and counties allow the creation of emergency shelters and other affordable housing efforts.
But La Habra Heights missed the Oct. 2021 deadline to show the city’s housing framework, which must include the planned construction of low-income housing.
The suburban city located on the border of Los Angeles and Orange County is considered a high opportunity area, indicating access to good schools, jobs and less pollution, according to the HCD’s Opportunity Area 2024 map. But the city only has single-family homes, with zero multifamily housing or affordable units.
After repeated attempts to assist the city to come into compliance, the HCD issued a Notice of Violation in March 2024, state officials said. The HCD then worked with the Attorney General’s Office to reach Friday’s agreement with La Habra Heights.
“The City of La Habra Heights has done the right thing. Instead of continuing to skirt California’s housing laws, it will finally be complying with its legal obligation to plan for 244 housing units,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta.
Other Southern California cities like Norwalk and Huntington Beach experienced cuts from state housing and homelessness funds after failing to comply with the state housing law.