Table of Contents

What is the Housing Accountability Act? ............................................................................... 1 Why Do We Need the Housing Accountability Act? .............................................................. 2 Housing Accountability Act Decision Matrix ......................................................................... 4 Key Provisions of the Housing Accountability Act ............................................................... 5 Housing Development Project Qualifications ....................................................................... 5 Housing Development Project Definition ......................................................................... 6 Housing for Very Low, Low-, or Moderate-Income Households ...................................... 6 Housing Developments Applying for the Streamlined Ministerial Approval Process Pursuant to Government Code Section 65913.4. ........................................................... 6 Applicability of Local Standards ........................................................................................... 7 Objective Development Standards, Conditions, Policies, Fees, and Exactions .............. 7 Determination of Application Completeness ................................................................... 8 Triggers for a Disapproval of a Housing Development Project........................................ 9 Imposition of Development Conditions .......................................................................... 10 Housing Accountability Act Provisions That Apply to All Housing Projects ........................ 11 Determination of Consistency with Applicable Plans, Standards, or Other Similar Provision Based on the Reasonable Person Standard ................................................. 11 Applicability of Density Bonus Law ............................................................................... 11 General Plan and Zoning Consistency Standard .......................................................... 11 Written Notification of Inconsistency ............................................................................. 12 Denial of a Housing Project that is Consistent with Applicable Plans, Standards, or Other Similar Provisions Based on the Preponderance of the Evidence Standard ....... 13 Provisions Related to Housing Affordable to Very Low-, Low-, or Moderate-Income Household, Emergency Shelters, and Farmworker Housing .............................................. 14 Denial or Conditioning of Housing Affordable to Very Low-, Low- or Moderate-Income Households, Including Farmworker Housing, or Emergency Shelters .......................... 14 Violations of Housing Accountability Act ............................................................................ 15 Eligible Plaintiffs and Petitioners ................................................................................... 16 “Housing organizations” ................................................................................................ 16 Remedies ...................................................................................................................... 16