August 18, 2026
The Honorable Sharon Quirk-Silva
Member, California State Assembly
1021 O St., Room 4210
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 1751 (Quirk-Silva) Missing Middle Townhome Ownership Act Notice of Opposition (As of May 18, 2026)
Dear Honorable Sharon Quirk-Silva,
The City of Redondo Beach respectfully opposes AB 1751 (Quirk-Silva), which would require local agencies to ministerially approve both the application for a townhome development project and the parcel map or tentative and final map in multifamily residential zones or underutilized single-family zones.
The City of Redondo Beach supports efforts to increase housing production and expand homeownership opportunities. However, AB 1751 would bypass important local review processes that help ensure new subdivisions are supported by adequate infrastructure, public services, and orderly development. Under the Subdivision Map Act, local agencies review and approve proposed subdivisions, including parcel maps for four or fewer parcels and tentative and final maps for subdivisions of five or more parcels. This process is essential to ensure that new housing can be served by roads, utilities, water, sewer, emergency response, and other local services.
AB 1751 also bypasses the state-mandated local planning effort and forces cities to approve all maps for a townhome development project, even if it would exceed the residential capacity and infrastructure assumptions evaluated and certified by the state, creating potential unintended consequences for infrastructure and public services. AB 1751 disregards state-approved housing plans and zoning requirements, despite the multi-year effort to identify sites suitable for new housing development in coordination with smart residential growth.
For the City of Redondo Beach, AB 1751 presents significant concerns due to the impacts it could have on local infrastructure capacity, established planning frameworks, and long‑term housing compliance obligations. As a built‑out coastal community, Redondo Beach relies on its established subdivision and mapping review processes to ensure that new townhome development, whether in multifamily zones or underutilized single‑family areas, can be adequately served by transportation networks, utilities, water and sewer systems, emergency response, and other critical public facilities.
Requiring the City to ministerially approve parcel maps and subdivision maps regardless of site-specific infrastructure limitations or the City’s planning and environmental review standards removes essential tools needed to maintain safe, orderly growth. AB 1751 could force approval of projects that exceed the infrastructure assumptions analyzed in the City’s certified Housing Element, resulting in unplanned strain on public services and shifting financial burdens to the General Fund. This poses particular challenges for Redondo Beach as we work to balance state‑mandated housing production with the realities of aging coastal infrastructure and community expectations for safe, well‑planned neighborhoods.
Additionally, the measure may require a city to approve a townhome development at a lower density than the amount of planned density in that multifamily zone.
Specifically, AB 1751 allows projects that are three stories or fewer and meet at least 75 percent of the state’s minimum density standards to qualify for by-right approval. In jurisdictions that planned for higher densities on specific sites, this could result in fewer units being built than planned for, requiring cities to identify additional sites to remain compliant with state Housing Element Law and “no net loss” requirements. For these reasons, the City of Redondo Beach respectfully opposes AB 1751 (Quirk-Silva).
Sincerely,
James A. Light
Mayor, City of Redondo Beach