The affluent Peninsula town of Woodside declared that the city was a habitat for mountain lions in order to avoid building affordable housing, as reported by KCBS Radio last week.
But after California Attorney General Rob Bonta warned the city on Sunday that doing so would violate state law, the city walked back its plans.
"This memorandum is — quite clearly — contrary to the law, and ironically, contrary to the best interests of the mountain lions the town claims to want to protect. At the California Department of Justice, we're committed to doing all we can to alleviate California's housing crisis, and we need our local partners to do the same," said Bonta in a statement published by his office on Sunday. "My message to Woodside is simple: Act in good faith, follow the law, and do your part to increase the housing supply. If you don't, my office won't stand idly by."
Bonta cited that the Woodside would be violating Senate Bill (SB) 9, which went into effect on Jan. 1 of this year. The bill is an effort to promote more affordable housing being built, and "allows homeowners to build up to four residential units on a single-family lot," said the statement.
This had previously not been allowed in the wealthy town.
But in the letter Bonta sent to Woodside, he made it clear that its memorandum to declare the entire town a mountain lion habitat violates state law and must be amended.
In response, Woodside town leaders met Sunday night and decided SB-9 housing applications could be accepted starting Monday.
"And the town council remains focused on doing its part to alleviate the regional shortfall in affordable housing," said Kai Ruess, the city's assistant attorney.
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