Key facts
- Costa Mesa approved a plan for 2,300 homes on 110 acres of former state-run care facility land.
- The approved plan includes 920 units for low- and very low-income residents.
- City staff had indicated the site could accommodate up to 4,000 units.
- The state sued Costa Mesa, Calexico, Half Moon Bay, Ridgecrest, and Turlock in July for missing housing planning deadlines.
- Costa Mesa must plan for 11,760 new homes between 2021 and 2029, including 2,919 for very-low-income households and 1,794 for low-income households.
Despite facing a lawsuit from California Governor Gavin Newsom's administration over its failure to meet state-mandated housing goals, the Costa Mesa City Council has approved a long-delayed development plan for 2,300 homes on state-owned land. The approval comes as part of a broader effort by the state to use litigation to force cities to comply with housing reform laws.
The approved plan for the 110-acre site, formerly a state-run care facility, falls short of the 4,000 units city staff initially believed could be accommodated. It includes 920 units designated for low- and very low-income residents, a figure well below the 3,450 units that staff deemed financially feasible for a builder. City officials warned that this lower unit count may necessitate further revisions to the city's housing element to satisfy state targets.
In July, Newsom's administration sued Costa Mesa along with four other municipalities for missing deadlines to plan for their allocated share of new housing. "California can’t solve the housing crisis while some cities sit on their hands and dare us to do something about it," Newsom stated at the time. Costa Mesa, with a population of approximately 110,000, is the largest of the five cities sued. Under state law, Costa Mesa is required to plan for 11,760 new homes between 2021 and 2029, including specific targets for low- and very low-income households. The state's petition seeks to compel a compliant plan within 120 days and requests penalties, with cities also risking the loss of local zoning control through the builder's remedy.