San Jose Can Counter Displacement by Complying with the State’s Surplus Land Act

Public Advocates and co-counsel filed a lawsuit in state court on July 21, 2016, against the City of San José on behalf of two San José residents and two non-profit housing advocacy organizations, charging that a policy the City passed to spur development of mostly high-rise luxury housing on public land in San José’s downtown violates California’s Surplus Land Act (SLA).

The Act requires cities to prioritize public land for affordable housing that they sell or lease.

Updates:

On March 11, 2020, the California Supreme Court denied review in Anderson v. City of San Jose, letting stand the decision of the sixth circuit court of appeal  ruling in favor of our clients.

On November 26, 2019, the Sixth Appellate District Court of Appeal ruled that San Jose is not exempt from complying with the Surplus Land Act. We are delighted with this ruling which affirms that ‘public land for public good’ isn’t just a slogan, it’s the law of the land in California. Every city can and must prioritize its surplus land for homes affordable to lower-income families.As Deputy Managing Attorney Sam Tepperman-Gelfant noted, “The justices recognized that ‘public land for public good’ isn’t just a slogan, it’s the law of the land in California. Every city can and must prioritize its surplus land for homes affordable to lower-income families.”

In January 2020, San José filed a motion seeking discretionary review from the California Supreme Court. We believe that the appellate court got it right, and we are currently preparing our response.

The Surplus Land Act was intended by state lawmakers to ensure that all California cities do their part to address the state’s affordable housing crisis. San José has faced its own affordability crisis with the average monthly rent for a 2-bedroom apartment reaching $2,792, affordable only to renters making $54 per hour or nearly $112,000 annual salary.

Anderson, et al. v. City of San Jose

San Jose surplus land policy

Contact Us

We're not around right now. But you can send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

Not readable? Change text. captcha txt