Office of the Mayor Tel: 310.697.3653
REDONDO 115 Diamond Street Redondo.org
BEACH Redondo Beach. CA 902T
April 15, 2026
The Honorable Al Muratsuchi
California State Assembly
1021 O Street, Suite 8220
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 2741 (Muratsuchi) Housing Element: Inventory of Land; Substantial Compliance.
Notice of SUPPORT
Dear Assemblymember Muratsuchi,
On behalf of the City of Redondo Beach, I am writing to express our strong support for Assembly Bill 2741, which clarifies how jurisdictions may meet rezoning obligations under Housing Element Law and allows cities that have, in good faith, worked with the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to achieve a certified housing element time to remedy any judicial decisions related to that certified housing element.
AB 2741 addresses two areas that have created uncertainty for local governments.
First, the bill confirms that cities may satisfy required rezoning programs by applying a zoning classification, such as an affordable housing overlay zone, that permits owner-occupied and rental multifamily housing at required minimum densities and development standards. This clarification is particularly important for built-out communities like ours, where infill opportunities are limited and flexible zoning tools are essential to meeting Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) requirements. The flexibility of a housing overlay zone makes it more appealing and affordable to a property owner or developer to build housing on a portion of a property without fully eliminating existing uses that may be necessary for fiscal feasibility.
The bill also provides clearer guidance on how HCD determines whether a housing element remains in substantial compliance with state law. Establishing more predictable standards helps cities address identified deficiencies while continuing to process housing applications, and it provides greater certainty for both local governments and housing developers.
Office of the Mayor Tel: 310.697.3653
REDONDO 415 Diamond Street Redondo.org
BEACH Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Finally, the bill alleviates the many cities that have used affordable housing overlay zones in their certified housing elements from having to modify and resubmit their housing element mid-term to protect from developer lawsuits whose intent is to use Builder's Remedy if their lawsuit prevails. This would create fiscal and staff workload impacts to cities and HCD.
Redondo Beach remains committed to planning for housing at all income levels in a manner that is transparent, feasible, and consistent with state law. The clarifications in AB 2741 strengthen the reliability of the housing element framework and reduce ambiguity in areas where jurisdictions frequently seek guidance. For these reasons, the City of Redondo Beach supports AB 2741. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Jim Light
Mayor, City of Redondo Beach