A Los Angeles County city was sued by the state on Nov. 4 over its emergency ordinance banning new homeless shelters, other types of low-income housing, and even certain businesses such as liquor stores, car washes, and payday lenders.
Norwalk, like all cities and counties in California, must supply affordable housing and work to alleviate the homelessness crisis under the state’s Housing Element Law.
“We have not, and will not hesitate to ensure that everyone with the power to approve or disapprove housing takes their duties seriously,” Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement.
The lawsuit, which the state has been threatening for months, alleges that Norwalk’s moratorium violates numerous state laws. Before taking Norwalk to court, the state issued warnings, and even revoked the city’s housing element compliance, making it ineligible to receive state housing funds….