Planning and zoning: regional housing needs allocation.

Senator Limón's housing legislation establishes a framework for California local governments to partner with federally recognized tribes in meeting regional housing needs requirements. The measure allows cities and counties to count new tribal housing developments toward their allocated housing targets through voluntary agreements with tribes in their county.

These agreements must meet specific conditions to qualify tribal housing units for regional needs credit. Local governments with direct permitting authority over tribal development sites can count the units automatically. Those without such authority must document alternative verification methods, including tribal agreements on permits and occupancy certificates, proof of approved construction plans, or data on project timelines and affordability levels. Additionally, tribal developments must be located within or adjacent to the local jurisdiction's boundaries and conform to U.S. Census Bureau housing unit definitions.

The legislation explicitly prohibits local governments from requiring tribes to waive sovereign immunity to participate in these agreements. It preserves existing arrangements where tribal housing already counts toward regional needs allocations, while directing the Department of Housing and Community Development to approve qualifying tribal units under the new framework. The bill's findings classify affordable housing access as a matter of statewide concern, making these provisions applicable to all California cities, including charter cities.