Print A 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 “maximize the development of housing” as California works to solve its problems with rapidly rising rents, homelessness and real estate costs. For the record: 10:41 AM, May. 18, 2021An earlier version of this story incorrectly described the group Preserve Wild Santee. It is an environmentally based political action committee.