State’s Lawsuit Against Norwalk Over Homeless Shelters Moves Forward
A lawsuit filed by the state against the city of Norwalk over its decision to ban new homeless shelters and other housing projects is set to proceed. On Tuesday, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled that the legal action could move forward, though he dismissed the City Council as a defendant.
Judge James Chalfant, in his ruling, acknowledged the public interest in preventing the city from passing an ordinance that could violate state law. However, he also criticized the state's approach, pointing out that the petitioners had failed to provide facts showing any immediate or significant harm caused by the moratorium.
The state had filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Department of Housing and Community Development, accusing the city of breaking housing requirements. The city's legal team called the lawsuit a “red herring,” noting that the moratorium was not actively being enforced at the time.
The dispute began in August when the Norwalk City Council approved a 45-day ban on emergency shelters, single-room occupancy units, and other housing types. After Governor Gavin Newsom warned the city in September that it was violating state law, the council extended the moratorium for an additional 10 months. However, in October, the council agreed to halt enforcement while working with the state to find a solution.
The city justified the moratorium by citing the Housing Crisis Act, which allows cities to ban housing projects if there is an immediate threat to public health and safety. State officials, however, rejected this claim, pointing out that Norwalk had only approved 175 housing units—just 3.5% of its required 5,034 units.
Attorney General Rob Bonta criticized Norwalk’s actions, emphasizing the city's responsibility to help address California's homelessness crisis. "Every city and county in California has a legal obligation to help solve our homelessness crisis," Bonta said. "Enough is enough."
