SAN DIEGO âA San Diego Superior Court ruling that invalidates an Oceanside referendum could boost efforts to meet a statewide housing shortage, but it also may imperil the increasing use of citizen ballot initiatives to stop development projects.
Judge Richard S. Whitney based his decision on Government Code 66300, also known as the Housing Crisis Act of 2019, which was written to âmaximize the development of housingâ as California works to solve its problems with rapidly rising rents, homelessness and real estate costs.
Whitney said the act invalidates the Nov. 3 citizenâs ballot initiative that overturned the Oceanside City Councilâs 2019 approval of the 585-home North River Farms project by a 2-1 margin. If the decision is not appealed and the developer overcomes other litigation, the project could proceed.