Already behind on its new housing goals, California officials are upping the construction ante.
The California Department of Housing and Community Development found that by the year 2030, at least 2.5 million new homes need to be built. One million of those would be earmarked for lower-income families and individuals.
It will be tall order, considering that only 588,344 homes were built over the last eight-year planning period—well under the 1.2 million goal.
“California’s housing crisis is half a century in the making. And after decades of under-production, supply is far behind need, and housing and rental costs are soaring,” said Megan Kirkeby, deputy director for housing policy at the state Department of Housing and Community Development.
According to the O.C. Register, six SoCal counties account for just over half of the statewide housing goal. Southern California’s 191 cities must plan for the construction of 1.34 million new homes by 2030.
SoCal cities needed to have their housing plans approved by Feb. 12, though just seven cities and one county met that deadline.
Cities that fail to meet their housing plans risk lawsuits by the state, monthly fines starting at $10,000 and being cutoff from state grants, among other possible outcomes.