In recent years, a series of powerful housing laws have been passed by the California legislature to restrict local agencies from delaying, downsizing, or rejecting housing development projects. These measures aim to enhance the enforceability of key statutes, such as the California Housing Accountability Act (HAA) and the Housing Crisis…
The Land Use lawyers of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP (JMBM) represent Neighbors for Hillside Safety, an unincorporated association of homeowners, residents, and stakeholders who live and work within the proposed Wildlife Ordinance District being considered as part of the City’s Wildlife Pilot Study and the associated Wildlife Ordinance…
Last month, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an important decision in the area of property rights, development exactions, and the Fifth Amendment. In Knight v. Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County, Tennessee, case number 21-6179, plaintiffs James Knight and Jason Mayes challenged the constitutionality of a City…
The Los Angeles Superior Court’s decision in the case, Yes In My Back Yard, Sonja Trauss, and Janet Jha v. City of Los Angeles, provides important guidance to developers and local agencies on how to process housing development projects located on sites where the density permitted by the General Plan…
Los Angeles—JMBM’s Land Use Group is pleased to announce that three partners in the practice were recognized by Best Lawyers in America® for Land Use and Zoning Law. Department Chairman Benjamin M. Reznik was included on the Best Lawyers in America list for 2023, and partners Neill E. Brower and…
LOS ANGELES–Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP (JMBM) is pleased to announce that the Firm’s Land Use & Zoning practice has again received the highest possible designation of National Tier 1 in the 2022 U.S. News and World Report – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” rankings. The report recognizes the top law…
LOS ANGELES—Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP (JMBM) is pleased to announce that the firm’s Government, Land Use, Environment and Energy Department has once again been ranked as a National Tier 1 practice by U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” for 2021. The designation, which is the highest…
As JMBM government and land use lawyer Sheri Bonstelle explains in the article, “Assembly Bill 1561 provides support for housing development projects,” published by the Daily Journal on September 10, 2020: “AB 1561 will support housing development by allowing additional time for those with approved housing development projects to obtain…
On June 12th, the California Court of Appeal, Fourth District, filed its decision in Golden Door Properties LLC v. County of San Diego, __ Cal.App. 5th __ (2020) (WL 3119041). In doing so, the Court extended the now decade-long effort of San Diego County to craft an adequate Climate Action…
by Daniel Freedman and Justin Anderson Substantial changes to state and local laws governing accessory dwelling units (“ADUs”) went into effect on January 1, 2020, and they have significant implications for single-family and multi-family property owners. ADUs are additional living quarters built within, or on the same lot as, the…