Capital Public Radio: California Will Strengthen “Anti-NIMBY Act” As Part Of Housing Package

Gov. Jerry Brown will sign a package of bills Friday that seek to address California’s exorbitant housing costs. One piece that’s flown below the radar would make it harder for cities and counties to evade state housing mandates. The legislation deals with a 35-year-old California law called the Housing Accountability Act – sometimes nicknamed the “Anti-NIMBY (Not In My Backyard)” Act. The law’s intent is to block local governments from arbitrarily rejecting development projects that comply with their existing zoning and land use policies. Identical bills by Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and Asm. Raul Bocanegra (D-Pacoima) would put more teeth in that law.