With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Federal Court Denies Huntington Beach's Request To Block The State From Enforcing Housing Laws There

Huntington Beach's temporary restraining order against the state — an attempt to pause the enforcement of state housing laws — was denied this week in federal court.
The ruling comes after California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed opposition Tuesday to the city's request for the temporary block, arguing that the city doesn't have the standing to sue in federal court.
The backstory
This is the latest move in a legal duel between Huntington Beach and the state. The state alleges in a lawsuit, filed earlier this month, that Huntington Beach is in violation of multiple housing laws after banning the processing of applications for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) last month.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Local governments don’t get to pick and choose which state laws they want to follow. Huntington Beach’s lawsuit is another baseless and obstructionist attempt by the city to defy state housing laws,” Bonta said in a statement from the state attorney general's office Tuesday.
For its part, Huntington Beach responded to that earlier lawsuit with one of its own, which challenged the state’s authority to establish local housing goals.
“[The] mandates brought down by the state to Huntington Beach are not mandates at all,” said Michael Gates, Huntington Beach’s city attorney, earlier this month.
Go deeper:
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

-
What you should know ahead of bad weather expected to hit Monday, with the worst expected between 5 p.m. through Tuesday afternoon.
-
Jet Propulsion Laboratory leadership announces that 11% of the workforce is being cut.
-
The rock legend joins LAist for a lookback on his career — and the next chapter of his music.
-
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain.
-
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember.
-
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care.