Real Estate/Development,
Administrative/Regulatory
Apr. 24, 2025
California's Surplus Lands Act needs a reality check for rural parcels
Though well-intentioned, the act urgently needs reform to distinguish between viable housing sites and rural parcels like El Dorado's pond where rigid application of the law blocks community-driven efforts to preserve public spaces without advancing affordable housing goals.
Brian D. Poulsen Jr.
General Counsel
El Dorado Irrigation District
California's housing crisis is urgent and severe. We need policies that support affordable housing development - especially in urban and suburban areas where the housing shortage is most acute. But when good intentions are applied blindly, without regard for local context, even the best laws can become barriers to common sense.
Consider the case of El Dorado Irrigation District, located in the Sierra Nev...
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