Huntington Beach taxpayers are now on the hook for over $160,000 after the city failed to pass a proper housing plan, with a San Diego Superior Court Judge ordering the city to pay out an additional $50,000 every month they remain out of compliance moving forward.
That order comes after Judge Katherine Bacal previously paused fines on city leaders, giving them an opportunity to get their housing plan approved by the state after years of city lawyers arguing they didn’t need one.
But that plan was shot down by the California Department of Housing and Human Development, which found that while city leaders submitted a housing plan, they failed to properly rezone for new housing to be built in town according to Bacal’s order.
“The Court intends to modify its earlier ruling to impose penalties at the rate of $20,000 per month for the months of June, July, and August of 2026,” Bacal wrote. “The $50,000 per month civil penalty would be imposed from September 2026 onward until the violation is cured.”
State prosecutors and the city’s lawyers are set to meet with Bacal again in court today to discuss the penalties.
It’s the latest chapter in a yearslong saga of legal battles between Surf City leaders and Sacramento, with city council members arguing that as a charter city they are able to sidestep some state laws while the state argues they’re still a city within California bound by the rules.
So far, judges have sided almost exclusively with the state on issues including the city’s housing plan, voter ID and sanctuary state laws.
Despite those losses in court, city leaders have repeatedly argued their lawsuits are still helping taxpayers, saying their decision to fight back has helped delay the implementation of state laws in town.
A spokesperson for the city did not respond to requests for comment on Friday morning, but Mayor Casey McKeon said he was speaking with the city attorney on the issue.
“In talks with our City Attorney,” McKeon wrote in a Friday morning text. “There is a hearing this afternoon where our attorneys will be arguing the merits of the court’s ruling.”
Noah Biesiada is a Voice of OC reporter. Contact him at nbiesiada@voiceofoc.org.
