Two public advocacy groups, Bay Area Legal Aid and the Public Interest Law Project, along with individual petitioners Amber Whitson and Betty Stephenson filed a lawsuit in Alameda County Superior Court this Wednesday claiming that the City of Albany had failed to produce the 2007-2014 Housing Element and make sites available within the City for low and very-low income housing. It also claims the City engaged in unlawful housing discrimination and unlawful land use discrimination.
The lawsuit asks the court to compel the City to complete the Housing Element and and required zoning changes within 120 days. Plaintiffs are also asking for court injunctions to prevent any new building permits or construction approvals or zoning changes except for low income housing until the Housing Element is complete. Lastly they want an injunction to enjoin the City from "all actions that would deprive the Petitioners and others in need of affordable housing in Albany of their right to be free from illegal discrimination."
Since the required Housing Element is already being developed and is expected to be approved within a few months it may all be a moot point soon.
The City Council will meet in closed session before their meeting in Monday Oct 7 to discuss the litigation.
