Politics
Bakersfield Must Approve More Multifamily Housing Than Fresno, Modesto
The measure directs Kern County officials to approve more multifamily projects near existing transit corridors while neighboring cities receive different density thresholds based on their 2024 housing element reports.
How we reported this
The California Legislature passed the Housing Production Acceleration Act in late June 2026, requiring cities with populations above 100,000 to rezone at least 15 percent of residential land for higher-density development by December 2028. Bakersfield must identify sites for roughly 8,200 additional units under the formula tied to its regional housing needs assessment.
The law responds to updated state housing element deadlines that took effect after the Department of Housing and Community Development rejected plans from 42 jurisdictions in 2025. Kern County submitted its revised element in March, citing data from the U.S. Census Bureau showing 4,800 permitted units between 2020 and 2024.
Local zoning changes and daily costs
Residents near the downtown transit center will see new height limits rise from three to five stories on parcels previously zoned for single-family homes. City planning staff have identified 47 acres along Chester Avenue and 24th Street for the first round of updates, which could lower per-unit infrastructure costs for water and sewer connections already budgeted in the 2026-27 capital improvement plan.
Property owners in east Bakersfield subdivisions built before 1990 face potential lot splits under the bill's accessory dwelling unit provisions. Comparable rules in Fresno require rezoning along its bus rapid transit line, while Modesto's targets focus on areas within one mile of Highway 99 interchanges.
Next steps for implementation
The city council must hold two public hearings on the draft rezoning map before October. County records show Bakersfield received $2.4 million in state planning grants tied to the legislation, an amount calculated from the number of units the jurisdiction must accommodate through 2031.
Staff expect the first batch of rezoned parcels to receive entitlements by spring 2027, after which developers can submit projects under the new density standards. The state will review compliance through annual progress reports submitted to the Department of Housing and Community Development.