Source: firsttuesday Journal — 

When it comes to California’s housing crisis, residents are saying enough is enough.

Last November, Californians voted on transformative housing measures in their cities amid a long-simmering statewide shortage. The 2022 midterm election highlighted voters’ growing displeasure with priced right housing, but the results also renew optimism as the state pivots its policies for 2023 and beyond.

Voters focused their ire on local zoning, tax and homelessness issues. Read on for the most critical housing-related measures passed in November 2022 across California’s major metros. Find your service area below for a breakdown of the changes impacting your practice.

In Los Angeles, residents voted “yes” on:

• Measure LH — earmarking public money to aid the development of an additional 5,000 low-income rental units per city council district;
• Measure EM — authorizing the rent control board to modify or reject annual rent adjustments during a state of emergency declared by the president, governor, LA public health officer, or city council;
• Measure H — enacting a rent control program limiting annual rent increases to 75% of consumer price index (CPI); and
• Measure RC — requiring residential landlords to intend occupancy for a minimum of two years, move in within 60 days of vacancy to evict a tenant, and reduce the rent increase cap to $70 per month.

In Orange County, voters approved:

• Measure K — allowing the city council in Costa Mesa to adopt publicly-reviewed land use plans to refresh areas, expand low- and mid-tier housing, and restrict building height.

In Riverside County:

• Measure K — passes the fee of 15 cents per building square foot on single-family residential (SFR) units, the authorization of bonds, and an appropriation limit of $39 million.

In San Diego County, voters secured: