Section 65863.

(a) Each city, county, or city and county shall ensure that its housing element inventory described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 65583 or its housing element program to make sites available pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 65583 can accommodate its share of the regional housing need pursuant to Section 65584, throughout the planning period.

(b) No city, county, or city and county shall, by administrative, quasi-judicial, legislative, or other action, reduce, or require or permit the reduction of, the residential density for any parcel to, or allow development of any parcel at, a lower residential density, as defined in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (g), unless the city, county, or city and county makes written findings supported by substantial evidence of both of the following:

(1) The reduction is consistent with the adopted general plan, including the housing element.

(2) The remaining sites identified in the housing element are adequate to accommodate the jurisdiction's share of the regional housing need pursuant to Section 65584.

(c) If a reduction in residential density for any parcel would result in the remaining sites in the housing element not being adequate to accommodate the jurisdiction's share of the regional housing need pursuant to Section 65584, the jurisdiction may reduce the density on that parcel if it identifies sufficient additional, adequate, and available sites with an equal or greater residential density in the jurisdiction so that there is no net loss of residential unit capacity.

(d) The requirements of this section shall be in addition to any other law that may restrict or limit the reduction of residential density.

(e) This section requires that a city, county, or city and county be solely responsible for compliance with this section, unless a project applicant requests in his or her initial application, as submitted, a density that would result in the remaining sites in the housing element not being adequate to accommodate the jurisdiction's share of the regional housing need pursuant to Section 65584. In that case, the city, county, or city and county may require the project applicant to comply with this section. The submission of an application for purposes of this subdivision does not depend on the application being deemed complete or being accepted by the city, county, or city and county.

(f) This section shall not be construed to apply to parcels that, prior to January 1, 2003, were either (1) subject to a development agreement, or (2) parcels for which an application for a subdivision map had been submitted.

(g) (1) If the local jurisdiction has adopted a housing element for the current planning period that is in substantial compliance with Article 10.6 (commencing with Section 65580) of Chapter 3, for purposes of this section, "lower residential density" means the following:

(A) For sites on which the zoning designation permits residential use and that are identified in the local jurisdiction's housing element inventory described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 65583, fewer units on the site than were projected by the jurisdiction to be accommodated on the site pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 65583.2.

(B) For sites that have been or will be rezoned pursuant to the local jurisdiction's housing element program described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 65583, fewer units for the site than were projected to be developed on the site in the housing element program.

(2) (A) If the local jurisdiction has not adopted a housing element for the current planning period within 90 days of the deadline established by Section 65588 or the adopted housing element is not in substantial compliance with Article 10.6 (commencing with Section 65580) of Chapter 3 within 180 days of the deadline established by Section 65588, "lower residential density" means any of the following:

(i) For residentially zoned sites, a density that is lower than 80 percent of the maximum allowable residential density for that parcel.

(ii) For sites on which residential and nonresidential uses are permitted, a use that would result in the development of fewer than 80 percent of the number of residential units that would be allowed under the maximum residential density for the site.

(B) If the council of governments fails to complete a final housing need allocation pursuant to the deadlines established by Section 65584.05, then for purposes of this paragraph, the deadline pursuant to Section 65588 shall be extended by a time period equal to the number of days of delay incurred by the council of governments in completing the final housing need allocation.

(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 709, Sec. 12.7. Effective January 1, 2009.)