Protests, lawsuits and a dead rat: A wealthy California city’s epic fight to block growth

Developers Alexandra Hack, left, Jonathan Curtis and Garret Weyand of Cedar Street Partners stand in front of the Christian Science Church building in La Cañada Flintridge. “Family Ties” star Michael Gross founded Together La Cañada, a nonprofit dedicated to “responsible development that fosters sustainable growth and public safety.” He called the project the “symptom of a larger problem” of not adhering to the Downtown Village Specific Plan, a framework adopted by the city in 2000 to enhance the area’s role as a destination. Ronald Reagan signed a housing law that required local governments to plan “for the housing needs of all economic segments of the community.” As part of the housing element law, the Department of Housing and Community Development requires cities and counties to develop plans for growth every eight years to address population increases and account for factors such as density and overcrowding to keep up with the state’s housing need projections. Builder’s remedy Builder’s remedy is a provision in California’s Housing Accountability Act that prohibits cities from denying certain housing projects if the city is out of compliance with housing element law. “This state has a housing crisis, and we’re trying to help La Cañada do their part,” Weyand said.