HomeMy WebLinkAboutSignature Letter - AB 650 (Papan) - 09.15.2025September 15, 2025
The Honorable Gavin Newsom
Governor, State of California
1021 O Street, Suite 9000
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: Support for AB 650 (Papan) - Request for Signature
Dear Governor Newsom:
The City of Cupertino writes to urge your support and passage of Assemblymember
Papan’s Assembly Bill (AB) 650, which would allow local governments to begin the
housing element update process six months early, provide greater certainty and reduce
ambiguity in the housing element review process, and ensure that local governments
have adequate time to respond to the California Department of Housing and
Community Development’s (HCD) review letters.
Since 1969, California’s local governments have planned and selected sites for housing at
all income levels through the housing element portion of a local government’s general
plan. Every five to eight years, local governments are required to adopt a blueprint
outlining where developers can or cannot build residential developments within their
respective communities and obtain certification from HCD. Local governments plan for
their fair share of housing development as determined through the Regional Housing
Needs Allocation (RHNA) process. As part of this complex process, local governments
submit in their housing elements a variety of essential data, actions, and programs to
promote fair, equitable, and affordable housing in their community. Currently, local
jurisdictions are planning and zoning for nearly 2.5 million additional homes statewide.
During the 6th RHNA cycle, local governments experienced various challenges in
obtaining certification from HCD. Some of the challenges include a short timeline for
completing these complex documents and responding to HCD’s feedback, a lack of
clarity regarding what the state expects from local governments when reviewing
additional housing element drafts, and the introduction of new requirements late in the
housing element review process.
AB 650 would address these issues by allowing local governments to begin updating
their housing element six months earlier. This bill would also require HCD to provide
specific text and analysis that must be included in the housing element to remedy
deficiencies, ensuring that local governments are not penalized when HCD identifies
additional deficiencies not previously identified in prior review letters.
For these reasons, the City of Cupertino supports AB 650 and respectfully requests you
to sign the measure into law.
Sincerely,
Liang Chao
Mayor
City of Cupertino
cc: The Honorable Josh Becker
The Honorable Patrick Ahrens