Planning and zoning: regional housing needs allocation.

Senator Limón's housing legislation creates a framework for California local governments to count new tribal housing developments toward their regional housing needs requirements through voluntary agreements with federally recognized tribes. The measure establishes specific conditions under which these agreements can proceed - local governments must either have permitting authority over the development site or demonstrate through documentation that the housing units will be constructed within the current allocation cycle.

The agreements require tribal housing developments to be located within or adjacent to the local government's boundaries and meet U.S. Census Bureau housing unit definitions. Local governments are prohibited from requiring tribes to waive sovereign immunity to participate. The measure preserves existing arrangements where tribal housing developments already count toward a locality's regional housing needs allocation.

The Legislature's findings declare affordable housing a matter of statewide concern, making the provisions applicable to all California cities, including charter cities. The Department of Housing and Community Development is encouraged to approve tribal housing units that meet the specified conditions as counting toward local housing needs allocations.