Santa Barbara County is at the crossroads of state housing mandates and local planning control, and the latest flashpoint is the Richards Ranch project in Orcutt. On April 8, the Board of Supervisors unanimously overturned a previous staff ruling, marking a pivotal moment for the controversial mixed-use development, and reaffirming California’s powerful Builder’s Remedy provision. Here's a breakdown of what the decision means and why it matters.

Thousand Oaks is witnessing significant developments in its housing landscape, with two major multifamily projects poised to reshape the community. These initiatives aim to address the city's growing demand for residential and mixed-use spaces.

In a meaningful step toward addressing California’s ongoing housing crisis, the city of Simi Valley has approved a plan to construct a 26-unit affordable housing complex on the site of an existing church. This innovative project not only represents a creative use of underutilized land but also highlights the power of community partnerships in creating sustainable, affordable housing solutions.

California's housing crisis has prompted innovative solutions to increase housing availability and revitalize underutilized spaces. One such approach involves transforming existing structures and areas—like parking lots, vacant retail spaces, and shopping malls—into mixed-use developments that incorporate residential units. A notable example is the recent proposal for the Simi Valley Town Center.

After more than seven years, reconstruction has begun on the former Hawaiian Village apartment complex in Ventura, which was destroyed in the 2017 Thomas Fire. The new 52-unit project, now named Bella Vita, is expected to welcome residents by early 2027. The first of four buildings is anticipated to be completed by the end of this year. The complex aims to recapture its previous charm, offering beautiful views and modern amenities. The developers hope to attract former residents back to the community.

The Maulhardt-Stiles development represents an exciting step forward in addressing Ventura County’s housing needs while enhancing the Northeast Oxnard community. If approved and developed as envisioned, the project could bring significant economic and social benefits, providing housing opportunities and new amenities for residents.

The 2024 Southern California Multifamily Forum will be held at the Hilton LAX on June 6, 2024. First held in 2012, the conference consistently brings together 600+ multifamily executives from across California, as well as national multifamily owners, investors and developers active in California markets.

Across the country, neighborhood groups are uniting to fund mixed-use developments that meet housing and business demands, giving locals a place to live, work and learn new skills.

Every eight years, the state of California determines the RHNA (Regional Housing Needs Assessment) number of housing units each jurisdiction is expected to produce locally to collectively address the statewide lack of housing.