Please see statement below on behalf of Mayor Tony Strickland in response to Attorney General Bonta’s Press Release announcing the amendment of their lawsuit against the City of Huntington Beach:

“AG Bonta’s statement today about “amending” the State’s current lawsuit against Huntington Beach is wrong. The City Attorney is requesting the court dismiss the State’s lawsuit involving SB 9 and ADU’s because it is entirely moot. If the State wants to now sue the City for an alleged Housing Element violation, the State’s laws on procedure require the State to file a new lawsuit. Simply “amending” is not an option. Bonta should know that. Moreover, Bonta has over 240 other cities in the State of California that do not have certified Housing Elements. The fact that the Attorney General is singling out Huntington Beach only strengthens the City’s arguments in court that the State is not following the law with these housing mandates. These regular State press releases announcing legal actions against Huntington Beach may grab headlines, but they do not intimidate or deter the City, and they have no effect in the court of law, where these conflicts of law will ultimately be decided.” – Mayor Tony Strickland