Regional housing need: methodology: distribution.

Senators Allen and Stern propose modifying California's regional housing needs allocation process to change how housing units lost during declared emergencies are distributed across jurisdictions. The legislation removes the requirement that councils of governments specifically consider emergency-related housing losses when developing allocation methodologies. Instead, these lost units must be distributed proportionally across regions according to the standard methodology rather than concentrated in jurisdictions where the losses occurred.

The bill maintains existing requirements for councils of governments to develop allocation methodologies in consultation with the Department of Housing and Community Development, incorporating factors such as jobs-housing relationships, development constraints, and transportation infrastructure. Local jurisdictions retain the ability to propose revisions to their allocated housing needs within 90 days of receiving draft distributions, provided they support proposed changes with comparable data and accepted planning methodology.

For areas without councils of governments, the Department of Housing and Community Development determines housing needs distribution, with the option to delegate this responsibility to counties and cities that demonstrate capability and majority agreement. The department or delegated entities must allocate emergency-lost units using the same methodology applied to overall housing needs distribution.

The Commission on State Mandates will evaluate whether these changes constitute state-mandated costs requiring reimbursement to local agencies and school districts under existing Government Code provisions.