Law and Land: Insights from Bay Area Land Use Attorneys

Navigating the Bay Area Housing Crisis with Land Use Experts In this episode of the Capstone Conversation, host Jared discusses the Bay Area housing crisis and land use issues with two land use attorneys, Patty Curtin and Amara Morrison of the Fenimore Law Firm. They explore the origins of the housing shortage, tracing it back to post-WWII growth and regulations, as well as the impact of the Housing Accountability Act. The attorneys discuss the current imbalance between job creation and housing supply, the resistance of some communities to new housing developments, and the legislative measures like SB330 aimed at addressing these issues. The discussion also covers the Builders Remedy provision and its implications for jurisdictions lacking compliant housing elements, including a case study of the Deer Hill project in Lafayette. The episode emphasizes the challenges posed by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the need for reform to ease the development process and meet housing demands. 00:00 Introduction to the Bay Area Housing Crisis 00:21 Meet the Experts: Patty Curtin and Amara Morrison 02:32 Historical Context of the Housing Crisis 03:59 Current Housing Challenges and Job-Housing Imbalance 06:48 Legislative Interventions and Builders Remedy 16:57 Case Study: The Deer Hill Project 24:23 Public Benefits and Developer Challenges 27:49 SB330 and Density Bonuses Explained 32:50 Final Thoughts and Future Directions