Sacramento – Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Jan 31 that the cities of Eureka, Healdsburg, Mountain View, Petaluma, San Luis Obispo, Santa Monica, and the County of Tulare, have earned the Prohousing designation by cutting red tape and speeding up housing approvals. The announcement brings the total number of California’s Prohousing communities to 37.

“We need to aggressively build more housing to support Californians. Prohousing cities move to the front of the line when it comes to incentives, funding and other state resources. It’s critical for more communities to join in this distinction and build their fair share of housing,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.

The state needs to plan for 2.5 million new homes by 2030. Reaching this goal will only be possible with the concerted efforts of state and local governments actively working to implement state housing laws and best practices. The Prohousing designation rewards communities that are willing to reduce barriers to construction, lower costs, and create overall housing policies aligned with state goals.

Prohousing communities receive additional points in the scoring of competitive housing, community development, and infrastructure funding administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

For local leaders, earning the Prohousing designation takes commitment to policies that accelerate housing production and minimize obstacles. These leaders actively work with the state to combat homelessness and increase the availability of affordable housing in their jurisdictions, bettering the quality of life for all Californians. Jurisdictions earning the Prohousing designation are aggressively taking on that challenge with resilience, steadfast determination, and accountability.