Wednesday, Jun 19 2013 3:12PM
A court ruling make increase the availability of affordable housing in California.
More than 150 counties and cities in California may now be required to include more affordable housing assistance as a result of a U.S. Court of Appeals ruling, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The ruling will require several counties to include a set number of low-cost units in each new housing project.
The court ruled that housing ordinances mandating the availability of low-income properties were valid if they serve a "legitimate public purpose of ensuring an adequate supply of affordable housing," the news source reports. The ordinance, which was overturned by a lower court, but upheld in the most recent appeals ruling, requires developers who are building 20 or more units to set aside 15 percent at below-market rates. Some of these rents must be made affordable to moderate-income households and others to low-income households, the Chronicle reports.
The judges said that in earlier circumstances, it found there to be a shortage of affordable housing units in California due to a lack of inclusionary housing ordinances, and the most recent ruling is designed to prevent this scenario from occurring again.
Affordable housing remains a central issue in the U.S., and several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, have extended millions in grants and loans to help eradicate poverty and supply more homeless individuals with sustainable homes.
For more information, check out this resource: The San Francisco Chronicle