(Los Angeles, CA) – On July 14, 2022, Judge Chalfant of the Los Angeles Superior Court issued a judgment ruling against the City of Huntington Park for its failure to ensure adequate and affordable housing, environmental justice elements, and for maintaining invalid zoning code provisions. These actions are a violation to various fair housing laws and creates barriers to housing for people with disabilities and the unhoused. This marks the first time a city is being held accountable in court for failure to have an adequate environmental justice element.
The City must now develop housing and environmental justice plans that comply with the law and update its zoning code. In the meantime, the City is not allowed to issue any zoning changes or subdivision map approvals (except to facilitate affordable housing or emergency shelters) until it comes into compliance.
If it does not come into compliance in 120 days, the City will then no longer be able to issue any commercial building permits. If the City still does not comply within 270 days, it will be prohibited from issuing any development approvals that do not facilitate affordable housing or emergency shelter. These actions ensure that land will remain available for the purposes of facilitating the development of affordable housing.
See Disability Rights CA’s press release featuring CBE here.