SB 457: Housing element compliance: committed assistance: in-kind services: realistic capacity formula.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

The Planning and Zoning Law requires a city or county to adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan that includes various mandatory elements, including a housing element.

Existing law requires the housing element to include, among other things, an inventory of land suitable and available for residential development, an analysis of the relationship of zoning and public facilities and services to these sites, and an analysis of the relationship of the sites identified in the land inventory to the jurisdiction’s duty to affirmatively further fair housing. Existing law requires a city or county, based on that inventory of land, to determine whether each site in the inventory can accommodate the development of some portion of its share of the regional housing need by income level during the planning period, as provided.

Existing law requires the inventory of land to include, among other things, a description of the existing use of the property for nonvacant sites. For the nonvacant sites, existing law requires the city or county to specify the additional development potential for each site within the planning period. Existing law requires a city or county to rezone sites according to a specified program if the inventory of sites suitable and available for residential development does not identify adequate sites to accommodate the need for groups of all household income levels.

This bill would require, on or before July 1, 2028, the Department of Housing and Community Development to promulgate or approve one or more formulas and associated user interfaces or other tools that allow for the determination of specified information, including, among other things, the realistic capacity of housing element inventory sites, as specified. The bill would authorize the above-described analysis and determinations by a city or county related to sites in the inventory of land suitable and available for residential development to rely on the formula promulgated or approved by the department. The bill would authorize the department to hire economists and data scientists for the purpose of promulgating the formulas and associated user interfaces or other tools.

This bill would require the inventory of land suitable and available for residential development to specify the number of units allowed to be built on each site at the time of the housing element’s adoption, and the number that will be allowed after rezoning, as specified, to accommodate the city’s or county’s share of regional housing need.

This bill would exempt the use by a city or county of any adopted formula, associated user interface, or tool promulgated or approved by the department for these purposes from judicial review, except as specified.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. September 29, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 802, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 29, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 802, Statutes of 2026.
3. September 29, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 802, Statutes of 2026.
4. September 29, 2026Approved by the Governor.
5. September 29, 2026Approved by the Governor.
6. September 29, 2026Approved by the Governor.
7. September 8, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
8. September 8, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
9. September 8, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
10. August 30, 2026Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 9.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
11. August 30, 2026Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 9.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
12. August 30, 2026Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 9.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.