California’s most populous county has been officially recognized by the state and Governor Gavin Newsom as a “prohousing” community.
On Friday, Newsom announced ten communities had received the distinction, including the whole of Los Angeles County.
The designation is given to communities that are making a concerted effort to build more homes to help address the state’s critical need by cutting red tape, reducing construction and development costs and creating housing policies with a “growth mindset,” officials said.
In addition to L.A. County, the cities of Berkeley, Brea, Crescent City, Fairfield, Pinole, Rancho Cucamonga, Richmond, South Lake Tahoe and West Hollywood received the prohousing label.
The newest additions to the Prohousing Designation Program brings its total to 47.
“California is making progress – but we can do better. At a time when the state is facing a housing crisis, every local jurisdiction should be stepping up to earn this distinction,” Newsom said in a news release.
While the “prohousing” designation might seem like a bit of a misnomer in a state with the nation’s highest cost of living and worst housing shortage, the distinction carries a certain amount of weight that aims to address that very problem.
Communities that are deemed prohousing receive exclusive access to certain grants, as well as other incentives and resources for competitive housing, community development and infrastructure funding programs administered by the state. The state says these additional resources will help “scale up” efforts to build.
Gustavo Velasquez, director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development, said obtaining the prohousing designation requires a “strong, demonstrated commitment to tearing down barriers and working to create more housing, faster.”
Earlier this year, Santa Monica, San Luis Obispo and Tulare County were among seven communities to receive the prohousing designation.
Fresno, Long Beach, Los Angeles city, Riverside, San Diego city and county, and Sacramento city and county are among the largest and most populous communities that are considered by the state to be prohousing.
California currently has a statewide goal of building 2.5 million new homes by 2030. At least 1 million of those homes are specifically to be designated as “affordable.”
“This critical goal can only be reached if local governments actively work to implement state housing laws and follow best practices that go above and beyond the minimum requirements,” the Governor’s Office said.
For more information on the program and the complete list of prohousing communities, click here.
