California Suing Calexico, Costa Mesa, Half Moon Bay, Ridgecrest, and Turlock Over State ‘Affordable’ Housing Law

California Governor Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and the Department of Housing and Community Development are suing the cities of Calexico, Costa Mesa, Half Moon Bay, Ridgecrest, and Turlock for failing to comply with the state’s “affordable” housing law.

“No more excuses: Newsom administration takes legal action against five California local governments for defying state housing law,” the Governor’s press release screamed.

“California can’t solve the housing crisis while some cities sit on their hands and dare us to do something about it,” Newsom said. “These five jurisdictions had every chance to follow the law and plan for their fair share of housing. They chose not to, so now they’ll answer for it in court. Housing law applies statewide, and no city gets a pass.”

“We can’t fix the decades-long housing crisis if a few municipalities choose to just sit on their hands,” Newsom said.

“…the decades-long housing crisis” created by Democrat policies and illegal immigration.

However, this isn’t just about housing – it’s about submission.

And now these cities will have to dip into their already tight budgets to pay for legal fees.

California is suing the local governments of Calexico, Costa Mesa, Half Moon Bay, Ridgecrest, and Turlock for ignoring state housing law.

We can't fix the decades-long housing crisis if a few municipalities choose to just sit on their hands. pic.twitter.com/3AQbXWsXp0

— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) July 16, 2026

According to the AG Bonta’s office, California requires every city and county to periodically update its housing element—a plan showing how it will meet its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), including homes for lower-income residents. This is part of a broader push to address the state’s severe housing shortage by planning for 2.5 million new homes in the current cycle. Non-compliance can trigger penalties, including civil fines under SB 1037 deposited into affordable housing funds and the “Builder’s Remedy,” which weakens local zoning restrictions for qualifying affordable projects. These five jurisdictions were given multiple opportunities (notices of violation, response periods, and meetings) but remained out of compliance well into the cycle. Over 95% of California jurisdictions have achieved or are nearing compliance.

This state harassment of cities goes back to 2019 when Gov. Newsom was sworn in as governor:

Almost immediately, Newsom sued the Orange County city of Huntington Beach for failing to provide enough additional “affordable housing,” while his own home county of Marin enjoys a moratorium on affordable housing building requirements until 2028.

“But some cities are refusing to do their part to address this crisis and willfully stand in violation of California law,”Newsom said at the time. “Those cities will be held to account.”

The California Department of Housing and Community Development is the state agency charged with overseeing local governments’ housing plans. “Since 1969, California has required that all local governments (cities and counties) adequately plan to meet the housing needs of everyone in the community,” the agency says on its website.

We reported that also on the website of the Housing agency are links to “Status and Copies of All Housing Elements.” Only, “all” cities are not included in the report, “Copies of all housing elements (page now gone).”

Notably absent were cities in Marin County. I guess the housing agency didn’t appreciate the Globe pointing out this disparity.

We also noted that the Department of Housing and Community Development reports that most of California city’s housing plans are in compliance, while 51 cities and counties are not, including Huntington Beach… and Selma, Orange Cove, Holtville, Lake County, Bradbury, Claremont, La Puente, Maywood, Montebello, Paramount, Rolling Hills, South El Monte, Westlake Village, Atwater… while all Marin County cities are listed in compliance (page now gone).

Notably, Gov. Jerry Brown signed the 2017 bill allowing Marin County to remain exempted from affordable housing requirements, he also signed SB 1333 in 2018 to eliminate a “housing loophole” that allows charter cities to reduce sites zoned for affordable housing, even if the action is inconsistent with the cities’ adopted general plans.

“California’s housing crisis demands action, not excuses,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Jurisdictions that remain out of compliance with our Housing Element Law are standing in the way of the homes Californians need. We are well past the halfway point of the current housing planning cycle, and timely compliance is not optional.”

It’s fascinating that the governor and Attorney General are forcing cities to come up with affordable housing, when the state is incapable of doing it.

As expected, California residents weighed in on X to Governor Newsom’s pompous proclamation on X:

• The “housing crisis” is entirely a creation of your moronic policies and regulations, which includes giving away undeveloped land to special interest groups who have donated large sums of money to you and the Democrat Party. GFY
• Of course he won’t go after the actually problem that is creating the issue. Gavin and the democrats can’t survive without the illegals voting for them.
• Oh ya, that’s where the housing crisis is. Everyone is scrambling to move to Ridgecrest and Turlock. As usual, our governor virtue signals, accomplishes nothing, and attacks the wrong problem. It’s hard to do everything wrong 100% of the time, but this guy beats the odds on stupidity.
• You’re nothing short of a communist thug. Stop making the state the final destination for illegals and people that can’t afford California to begin with. All so you can subcidize their life and buy their vote while destroying middle class tax payers. GFY

And perhaps as important, is this one, correctly saying that Costa Mesa has no space for more housing:

• Have you been to Costa Mesa? That is one of the most densely populated cities in Orange County. It is completely saturated with overdevelopment. Where the hell are they going to demand additional housing options to abide by your ignorant law? There is zero space left.

And this response is spot on:

So let me get this straight. California democrats can ignore federal law when it comes to illegal immigration and such but California cities are not allowed to ignore state law?

Yes, that is how retarded our state is. https://t.co/rzvULxuiVj

— Cartel California (@Cartel_Cal) July 16, 2026

There is a lengthy and unjust pattern of state enforcement against local resistance to state-mandated housing production. Local governments often correctly cite concerns over infrastructure, density, character, and costs, while the state argues uniform compliance is essential for affordability.

However, this isn’t about housing – it’s about submission.