SB 9, the California Housing Opportunity and More Efficiency (HOME) Act, was signed into law by the Governor on September 16, 2021 and will go into effect on January 1, 2022. The law requires cities and counties to ministerially approve certain two-unit projects and lot splits. Under the law, if a lot split is followed by the development of a two-unit project on each lot, four units could be built on what was previously a single-family residential parcel. The new law allows local agencies to adopt objective standards to govern these types of projects, yet imposes restrictions on what agencies can require, including limits on parking and setback requirements. Additionally, in order to qualify for a two-unit development or lot split, parcels must meet certain criteria under the law.

You can view the state law here.

Under SB 330 (Chapter 654, Statutes of 2019) the State Legislature enacted the Housing Crisis Act of 2019, codified as Government Code Section 66300, which went into effect on January 1, 2020. Essentially, this new State law limits the City’s ability on approving residential developments that replacing existing housing.  In order to preserve the number of dwelling units, the City cannot approve a housing development unless both of the following conditions are met:

1. The new development contains as many units as currently exists on the property; and
2. Any unit that is classified as a protected unit (i.e. affordable) is replaced at the same level of affordability.

As part of the Housing Crisis Act, the State defined a protected unit to include if the household income of the current tenant (for occupied units) or any tenant who lived in the unit during the past five years (for vacant units) is within the low, very low, or extremely low income level. Accordingly, the City is requiring the new housing developments be submitted with a self-certified income verification (attached).

If a unit is classified as a protected dwelling unit, the City is then required to take the following actions: 

1. Rental Units – Record a 55-year covenant guaranteeing the affordability level will remain the same as the current unit.
2. For Sale Units – Enter into an equity sharing agreement with the owner, in which the City will utilize a portion of the profit from a future sale towards providing affordable housing.

The Housing Crisis Act was originally set to sunset on January 1, 2025 however, SB 8 extended the Housing Crisis Act of 2019 through 2030).

On July 15, 2015 California approved revisions to the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO), which promotes efficient water use in new and retrofitted landscapes.

One major change is new requirements for compost and mulch. To improve soil health and increase water retention, at least four cubic yards of compost per 1,000 square feet of area must be incorporated into the soil. At least three inches of mulch must be applied to all exposed soil surfaces in planting areas. 

As of December 1, 2015, the Ordinance will apply to new landscape projects equal to or greater than 500 sq. ft. (the previous threshold was 2,500 square feet). The Ordinance also applies to rehabilitated landscape projects equal to or greater than 2,500 square feet.

These regulations are codified under Hermosa Beach Municipal Code Chapter 8.60 (Water Efficient Landscaping).