LeSar Development Consultants

08/13/2026

California has sued five cities that are at least two and a half years late in submitting compliant housing plans, seeking penalties and court orders requiring action within 120 days. Follow the cases for insight into how far the state is prepared to go, and what compliance will require from local governments.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/california-sues-five-cities-missing-deadlines-new-22348381.php

California officials have escalated their campaign to build affordable housing by filing lawsuits that accused five cities of flouting legal deadlines for submitting plans to meet housing shortages.

08/12/2026

Building on its longstanding commitment to community service, racial justice, and responsible stewardship of its campus, First Church (First United Methodist Church of San Diego) is exploring the development of affordable and mixed-income housing as an opportunity to address San Diego's housing crisis. Through this Request for Proposals (RFP), the Church seeks an experienced development partner that shares its values and can help transform underutilized church property into a high-quality residential community that expands housing opportunities while supporting First Church's long-term mission and presence in Mission Valley.

👉️ Full RFP Available Here: https://lesardevelopment.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/FUMCSD_Mission-Valley-RFP_FINAL.pdf

📆 Important Dates:
• Statement of Interest (by 5PM PST): 8/11/26
• Deadline for Questions (by 5PM PST): 8/12/26
• RFP Response Due (by 5PM PST): 9/4/26
• Notice of Selection: 9/25/26

➡️All dates subject to change by First Church.

08/12/2026

Property insurance has become a housing-production and preservation issue, not merely an operating expense. Affordable housing organizations can reduce exposure, but many strategies require capital and organizational capacity that smaller providers lack. That imbalance suggests short-term property management responses will need to be paired with broader regulatory and market reforms.

https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/blog/managing-property-insurance-costs-multifamily-affordable-housing-organizations

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08/11/2026

California’s latest reforms place greater emphasis on increasing the number of homes produced with each public dollar, not simply adding new funding. The state estimates that its housing-finance consolidation and impact-fee changes could reduce affordable housing costs by $60,000 to $70,000 per unit, while new HHAP requirements link homelessness funding more closely to local investment and housing-production policies.

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/07/13/more-housing-faster-governor-newsom-signs-historic-housing-affordability-reforms/

State of California

08/10/2026

California’s final legislative month will test whether its recent housing investments can be matched by reforms that improve project viability and delivery. In this article from our latest newsletter, LeSar's EVP, Business Line Operations & Oversight, Olmstead shares his legislative outlook for the measures most likely to affect housing production and affordability.

https://lesardevelopment.com/affordability-and-streamlining-remain-in-focus-as-newsoms-final-legislative-session-nears-conclusion/

The Legislature reconvened on August 3rd after its summer break with an eye on a continued push to address housing production and costs. The last day for each house to pass bills is August 31, with September 30 being the last day for the Governor to sign or veto bills that have been passed. 2026 has

08/07/2026

The ROAD to Housing Act’s real test begins with implementation: how quickly federal agencies translate its broad framework into workable rules, guidance, and funding decisions. In this article from our latest newsletter, LeSar examines how the law modernizes longstanding programs, expands production tools, and creates new incentives for local action without making major new investments in deeply affordable housing. Explore Jennifer’s analysis of the decisions that will determine whether this bipartisan achievement produces measurable results.

https://lesardevelopment.com/21st-century-road-to-housing-act-becomes-law-shifting-focus-from-legislation-to-implementation/

After more than a year of bipartisan negotiations, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act officially became law on July 11, 2026, making it the first major federal housing legislation enacted in decades. Rather than signing the bill, President Trump allowed the ten-day constitutional review period to....

08/05/2026

👉️ Registration closes August 7‼️ Join GPLA this September and unlock the secrets of Vienna's housing success. Change starts with new ideas. Let’s explore them together!

🌍️ GPLA Vienna Social Housing Field Study
📅 September 13 -19, 2026
➡️ Learn more and register: https://lnkd.in/gYKtBmfX

08/05/2026

Lasting depends less on finding one exceptional program than on building institutions that can coordinate land, finance, infrastructure, planning, and stewardship over decades. In this article from our latest newsletter, our Managing Director, Global Housing Policy Natarajan draws five lessons from Vienna’s housing system, including the strategic use of public land, mixed-income development, integrated neighborhood planning, and a sustained public-sector role. The value of the Vienna model is not as a blueprint to copy, but as a framework for identifying the missing connections within local housing systems. Explore Anu’s insights and the questions they raise for leaders seeking durable, scalable approaches.

https://lesardevelopment.com/five-insights-into-building-housing-systems-that-last-lessons-from-vienna/

Around the world, cities are searching for solutions to the housing crisis, and communities are grappling with many of the same questions: How do we leverage public land more effectively? How do we create housing that serves middle-income as well as lower-income households? How do we build infrastru...

08/04/2026

Please join us in welcoming Liz Tracey back as (part-time) Senior Principal of our Housing Team. Liz brings with her three decades of experience in affordable housing development and strategy, and we’re excited to have her leadership and expertise supporting our clients and expanding our impact.

Liz will continue in her role with Zen Development Consultants as Lead Development Consultant. We’re grateful to partner with Liz in this capacity and look forward to the insight and collaboration she’ll bring to our housing work.