Merced County, Atwater among 15 cited on Gov. Newsom’s housing shame list
Merced County and Atwater are among the 15 areas of the state that received a final warning this week from Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for failing to meet state housing law requirements.
Under state housing law, communities must adopt a plan — known as a housing element — that outlines how they will meet regional needs for residents at all income levels and submit that plan to HCD for review.
“We still have communities that aren’t meeting the needs of their residents,” Newsom said this week. “There’s no carve-out here. No community gets a pass when it comes to addressing homelessness or creating more housing access.”
In a statement emailed by spokesperson Mike North, Merced County said it has been “working toward final adoption of its housing element and will continue to do so until it reaches compliance with all state requirements. ... Our goal remains clear: to plan for suitable housing development opportunities that support the needs of our growing community.”
In a statement posted on Facebook on Thursday, Atwater said it is “committed to meeting all applicable state housing laws.”
“The City Council and staff remain focused on advancing responsible housing growth, supporting affordability, and maintaining transparency throughout this process,” the statement said. “Atwater will continue coordinating with state and regional partners to move toward compliance and support the development of housing opportunities for current and future residents.”
Other cities and counties receiving notices were: Avenal, California City, Corcoran, Escalon, Half Moon Bay, Hanford, Kings County, Lemoore, Montclair, Oakdale, Patterson, Ridgecrest and Turlock.
According to HCD, the 15 communities are two years past the statutory deadline for housing element compliance and more than 60 days away from securing a certified housing element. The cities and counties have 30 days to respond to the notices of violation before HCD takes further action including referral to the attorney general.
State law requires that the housing element:
- Identify adequate sites to facilitate and encourage the development, maintenance and improvement of housing for households of all economic levels, including persons with special needs.
- Remove, as legally feasible and appropriate, governmental constraints to the production, maintenance and improvement of housing for people of all income levels.
- Assist in the development of adequate housing to meet the needs of low- and moderate-income households.
- Conserve and improve the condition of housing and neighborhoods, including existing affordable housing.
- Promote equal housing opportunities for all persons regardless of race, religion, sex, marital status, ancestry, national origin, color, familial status, or disability.
- Preserve lower-income publicly assisted housing developments within each community.
The Fresno Bee’s María G. Ortiz-Briones contributed to this report.
This story was originally published March 27, 2026 at 2:58 PM.
