SB9 in Redondo Beach

Redondo Beach earns a D grade for SB9 implementation, signaling very limited activity and significant barriers for investors. The city’s reluctance to comply with SB9 until forced by a court ruling has suppressed development opportunities. Investors should expect minimal SB9-driven growth and regulatory uncertainty in the near term.

Redondo Beach’s SB9 ordinance was effectively non-operational for most of the 2022-2025 period due to the city’s charter city status and active legal opposition to SB9. The ordinance did not meaningfully facilitate SB9 projects until late 2025. Specific standards such as setbacks, lot minimums, design review, and parking requirements remained restrictive or undefined in practice. The city’s ordinance did not provide a streamlined or clear path for SB9 development during this time.

Redondo Beach is a charter city that actively challenged SB9’s applicability through litigation starting in 2022. The city relied on its charter city status to argue that it was exempt from SB9’s requirements. This legal strategy effectively blocked SB9 applications and approvals for three years. Only one SB9 application was filed and approved in 2023, likely due to a narrow exception or a case that proceeded despite the city’s opposition. In September 2025, a Court of Appeal ruling overturned Redondo Beach’s charter city defense. This decision forced the city to comply with SB9 statewide standards. However, even after the ruling, no additional SB9 applications or approvals were recorded through the end of 2025, indicating a slow or cautious response by the city and local developers. The trajectory remains flat with almost no growth in SB9 activity.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) took enforcement action against Redondo Beach related to its refusal to comply with SB9. The city was a plaintiff in a charter city lawsuit from 2022 through 2025, which delayed compliance. After the September 2025 Court of Appeal ruling overturned the city’s charter defense, HCD’s enforcement action remains active to ensure full compliance. This enforcement underscores the city’s prior noncompliance and ongoing oversight.

Investors should avoid relying on SB9 as a driver of development in Redondo Beach at this time. The city’s prolonged legal resistance and minimal SB9 application volume indicate a hostile regulatory environment. Even after the court ruling, the lack of new approvals suggests continued barriers or delays. Until the city fully embraces and implements SB9 with clear, developer-friendly standards, Redondo Beach remains a poor market for SB9-driven investment. For the grading methodology, see the SB9 City Guide post.