Earlier this year, CaRLA filed a lawsuit against the city of Dublin for an unlawful denial of 220 homes at Dublin BART.
Today, we are excited to announce that we have secured a victory in our suit. The City of Dublin will be reconsidering their decision to ban renters by approving the 220 homes in the Ashton at Dublin Station project.
The City of Dublin has helpfully produced the following FAQ sheet regarding this outcome:
Settlement-FAQSWe’re excited to be able to add this to our trophy wall; this is our first case of an affordable housing development in an exclusive suburb becoming denied in violation of the Housing Accountability Act.
CaRLA’s mission is to restore a legal environment in which California builds housing equal to its needs. Many exclusionary suburban cities such as Dublin, San Mateo, and Sonoma have evaded the law for decades as they deny the housing we need for subjective, aesthetic concerns. Affordable housing developments such as this one in Dublin have razor-thin margins that simply cannot be wasted on defending frivolous denials contra state law. Consequently, affordable housing is never proposed in cities where it is all but certain to be a waste of time to do so.
Our victory in Dublin builds on our successes in Berkeley, Lafayette, and Sausalito to send a clear message that there are now significant consequences for unlawful denials and uncertain processes that prevent affordable housing from ever being proposed where we need it most.