California Code, Government Code - GOV § 65913

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that there exists a severe shortage of affordable housing, especially for persons and families of low and moderate income, and that there is an immediate need to encourage the development of new housing, not only through the provision of financial assistance, but also through changes in law designed to do all of the following:

(b) The Legislature further finds and declares that the costs of new housing developments have been increased, in part, by the existing permit process and by existing land use regulations and that vitally needed housing developments have been halted or rendered infeasible despite the benefits to the public health, safety, and welfare of those developments and despite the absence of adverse environmental impacts. It is, therefore, necessary to enact this chapter and to amend existing statutes which govern housing development so as to provide greater encouragement for local and state governments to approve needed and sound housing developments.