On July 16, 2026, the State of California (State), through the Attorney General and the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), filed a lawsuit against the City of Costa Mesa for failing to comply with state housing law requirements. The lawsuit aims to enforce state housing law, ensure Costa Mesa meets its housing obligations, and set a precedent for local government accountability in addressing California's housing crisis.

f you want to skip to the item that will most likely have the most impact on your daily life, go to the Planning Commission New Business item near the bottom.

Besides the early December meeting of the City Council, things were somewhat calm at City Hall. Here’s an update: Council and Committee Meetings: City Council held only one meeting on December 2, and we already covered it in a special update since it concerned the Draft Fairview Park Master Plan Update. Please read that dispatch here: https://www.costamesa1st.com/post/city-update-for-november-2025-and-the-december-2-2025-city-council-meeting-fairview-park-master Planning

November was a dynamic month for governance in Costa Mesa. Here’s an update: Council and Committee Meetings City Council held two meetings in November—we already covered the November 18 meeting in a special update about the Draft Fairview Park Master Plan Update, but it met again on December 2, with that same subject on the Agenda; Planning Commission met once; Active Transportation Committee met; and Finance and Pension Advisory Committee (FiPAC) also held a meeting. NOV