California sues Costa Mesa over housing-plan compliance

California sued Costa Mesa in Orange County Superior Court on July 16, alleging the city has not completed a compliant housing element and related zoning changes. The state is asking the court to require Costa Mesa to finish the work within 120 days if an order is issued.

The lawsuit comes as the city works to meet a state-assigned obligation to plan for 11,760 housing units during the 2021-2029 cycle. Costa Mesa’s City Council adopted amendments to the Sixth Cycle Housing Element on March 17 and applied the Mixed-Use Overlay District to housing opportunity sites that were then in the city’s inventory.

More changes are planned

The city says it must identify additional opportunity sites under the state’s no-net-loss requirements. Costa Mesa also expects more public comments and hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council during summer or early fall 2026. A city public notice lists an Aug. 4 hearing on zoning amendments.

Costa Mesa’s stated goal is to obtain certification of its Housing Element from the California Department of Housing and Community Development. The lawsuit has not yet produced a court ruling or final compliance order, and the city’s eventual additional sites and their locations remain unresolved.