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Attorney Spotlight
- Southern California Super Lawyers Names Five Meyers Nave Attorneys to 2023 List
- California’s Density Bonus Law – 2023 Update
- Meyers Nave Represents the Tongva Community in Historic Reclaiming of Ancestral Land in Los Angeles Area After 200 Years
- California Density Bonus Law – 2022 Update
- Eight Meyers Nave Attorneys in Los Angeles and San Diego Receive “Super Lawyers” and “Rising Stars” Recognition
- California’s Density Bonus Law: 2021 Update
- Eviction Moratorium and Rental Assistance Update: SB 91 Enacts Changes for Landlords and Tenants
- Newsom Signs AB 3088 Into Law: Extends Protections Against Evictions
- New Orders, Ordinances and Legislation Address Financial Impact of COVID-19 on Commercial and Residential Tenants and Landlords
- What’s New in California’s Density Bonus Law?
Jon E. Goetz
Overview
Jon Goetz is a Senior Of Counsel at Meyers Nave. He has 35 years of experience in real estate, land use, environmental, redevelopment, affordable housing and municipal law. Jon represents a broad spectrum of private-sector landowners and real estate developers, cities, counties, housing authorities, universities and other public entities in complex real estate transactions, land use planning, public-private development, infrastructure financing and affordable housing transactions. He has extensive experience in all aspects of real estate transactions ― acquiring, financing, leasing and disposing of all forms of improved and unimproved real property, including public-use properties.
Jon has special expertise advising clients on California’s Density Bonus Law. He authors and annually updates the “Guide to the California Density Bonus Law,” which is a booklet that helps explain the intricacies of a complex law that is designed to increase the supply of affordable or senior housing. Please click here for the 2023 guide.
Jon has served as lead attorney for a multitude of real property matters, including more than 50 commercial and retail projects, including construction and rehabilitation of regional and neighborhood shopping centers, hotels, theaters, “big box” stores, restaurants and auto dealerships, and numerous purchases and sales of residential, business and agricultural properties.
He also has advised on more than 150 housing developments and programs involving thousands of affordable and market rate housing units. His housing projects include a variety of housing types including affordable rental developments, mixed income for-sale housing communities, master planned communities and mixed use and transit oriented developments, encompassing new construction, acquisition/rehabilitation and homebuyer programs.
Jon has represented multifamily and single family housing developers in affordable housing transactions financed with federal tax credits, bond financing and other governmental financing. Jon advises developers on the use of the California density bonus law to obtain additional housing density, more favorable parking requirements, and other land use benefits in exchange for providing affordable and senior housing.
Jon is counsel to a nonprofit corporation which develops and operates workforce housing for faculty and staff at a University of California campus. He has participated in the development of a number of other university workforce housing projects throughout the state.
Jon’s client work involves close cooperation between private developers and public agency officials and staff, processing a variety of land use entitlements, environmental and CEQA approvals, and documenting purchase, lease, development and infrastructure agreements. In these matters, Jon focuses on quickly and efficiently resolving issues through negotiation and creative problem-solving. On those occasions when litigation is necessary, Jon participates in both traditional litigation and administrative mandamus proceedings.
Jon also has considerable expertise in prevailing wages, advising public agencies and developers of residential, hotel, office, retail and shopping center projects on ways to structure public agency agreements to avoid or minimize prevailing wage obligations. He has represented parties in Department of Industrial Relations administrative determination matters.
Jon’s background includes being a shareholder at regional law firms, where he represented redevelopment agencies, private developers, universities and others in public-private real estate development projects, financings and other real property and public law matters.
Representative Experience
- Assists international developer with acquisition of land and obtaining City approvals for construction of a luxury hotel development in the vicinity of Disneyland in Orange County, California.
- Assists a multi-family solar-powered home builder in agreements for land acquisition, affordable housing requirements and public agency assistance for numerous for-sale housing development projects in Southern and Northern California.
- Assists an urban townhome community builder in agreements for land acquisition, affordable housing requirements and public agency assistance for numerous for-sale housing development projects in Southern California.
- Assists a national retail center developer in prevailing wage requirements for shopping center development built with city financial assistance under a development agreement.
- Represents a large public homebuilding company on compliance with prevailing wage requirements in a public-private development located on closed military base property in the City of Tustin.
- Assists homebuilder focused exclusively on the acquisition and entitlement of infill residential communities in Coastal California in obtaining density bonus from the City of Huntington Beach for new home developments.
- For a national nonprofit affordable housing developer, negotiate and draft acquisition and affordable housing agreements for affordable for sale housing development in City of Riverside for nonprofit housing developer.
- Represent the private developer/builder/owner of affordable seniors and family communities in the acquisition and financing of affordable multifamily housing developments in Inland Empire cities.
- Assists a national housing developer in creating more than 1,000 affordable units on a closed military base in the City of Irvine to meet city inclusionary housing requirements and qualify for a density bonus.
- Represents the City of San Leandro in a Development Agreement for the development of 70 acres of City property in the Shoreline-Marina area for the construction of single and multifamily for-sale residential units, a hotel, a multi-family apartment complex, restaurant and a market, and reconstruction of an existing golf course and waterfront park.
- Counsel to the nonprofit corporation that operates the largest on-campus, for-sale workforce housing community in the United States on the University of California Irvine campus. Representation of the Irvine Campus Housing Authority as its General Counsel includes advising on financing and construction contracts for development of multiple phases of for-sale housing and rental townhome projects.
- Worked with the City of Rancho Cordova in the rehabilitation and development of 50 units of permanent supportive housing for disabled and homeless veterans in the Mather Veterans Village project built on the former Mather Air Force Base.
- As General Counsel to the nonprofit Irvine Community Land Trust, negotiated and prepared the development agreement, ground lease, regulatory agreement and financing documents for an 80-unit affordable housing projected located in the City of Irvine, with special needs units for persons with developmental disabilities, veterans, and homeless families.
- Represents Town of Windsor on the development and redevelopment of the Civic Center development located on Town-owned property adjacent to the Town Green.
- Assisted the City of Walnut Creek on the St. Paul’s Commons affordable housing project, under development on land ground leased from a church. Resources for Community Development, a Berkeley-based nonprofit organization, is developing and operating the 45-unit project, half of which will be fully supportive permanent homes for residents who have special needs or who have experienced homelessness, including two units for residents with HIV/AIDS. Prepared and negotiated City financing and regulatory agreements for the project and homeless day shelter, as well as the service program.
- Represents a large public homebuilding company on compliance with prevailing wage requirements in a public-private development located on closed military base property.
- Represents City of Redondo Beach in reacquiring waterfront property and public-private development of a proposed mixed-use center on ground-leased property.
- Structured ground lease and public assistance for a city to facilitate an affordable housing project estimated to double the city’s population.
- Represented a housing authority in redevelopment of dilapidated WWII era 150 unit public housing project into a modern 300 unit low income housing tax credit development.
- Prepares development, affordable housing and financial assistance agreements, and assists in obtaining land use entitlements for large new urban housing project adjacent to downtown area of a Central Coast city.
- Represented a winery in the acquisition of a agricultural land and resolution of water rights dispute with neighbors.
- Handled the disposition and development agreement for The River at Rancho Mirage, a 30 -acre, $70 million open-air retail and entertainment center.
- Prepared agreements for construction of the award-winning Solara affordable apartments, California’s first fully solar powered multifamily housing project.
- Obtained city reimbursement of $9 million of flood control improvements constructed for a large retail center via an infrastructure lease, avoiding costly prevailing wage requirements.
- Created a housing authority for the streamlined eminent domain acquisition of 150 dilapidated condominium units in a high crime area, and documented the $37 million rehabilitation of the housing into an apartment project under consolidated ownership and management.
- Designed an innovative ground lease structure for purchasers of homes in an 86-unit university workforce housing development, resulting in prices 50% below market.
- Documented agreements for the development of live-work loft townhomes in Santa Ana Artist’s Village, which served as a prototype for suburban loft housing.
- Represented a developer in the development of an 89-unit apartment complex, financed with redevelopment housing bonds, tax credits and a housing authority land lease after the dissolution of a redevelopment agency.
- Handled acquisition of a 34 unit condominium project and resale of units to university faculty, devising loan and buyback programs to accelerate home purchases during a severe housing slump.
- Facilitated land acquisition, business relocation, land exchange and development of a $35 million downtown theater.
- Facilitated construction of the most affordable housing subdivision in California at the time, with single-family detached home prices under $90,000.
- Represented the Cal Poly Pomona Foundation on an off-campus faculty housing project, prepared special incentives for purchasers during a recession, prepared ground leases for other faculty housing in existing homes acquired and renovated by the Foundation, and assisted with the enforcement of leases in the university’s business center.
- Represented California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo’s nonprofit foundation in the development of the Bella Montaña on-campus faculty townhome project, prepared the ground lease and sales documents, and coordinated with condominium documents and homeowner association formation.
- Structured an agreement among developer Olson Company, the Richmond Redevelopment Agency and the Bay Area Rapid Transit District for a $100 million transit village development with 231 housing units, $20 million in improvements to light rail, train and bus stations, retail space and public infrastructure.
Honors and Awards
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Rated Attorney
- Southern California Super Lawyers list: Real Estate: Business, Land Use/Zoning and State, Local & Municipal Law, Super Lawyers Magazine, 2019, 2021-2023
Presentations and Publications
- Quoted, “50-Story Tower Proposed In SF’s Low-Slung Section,” Law360, April 14, 2023
- Author, “California’s Density Bonus Law – 2023 Update,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, January 18, 2023
- Presenter, “California’s New Housing Laws,” Orange County Bar Association, September 27, 2022
- Presenter, “Housing – California’s New Affordable Housing Laws: What are the Legal and Practical Implications?” City Attorneys Association of San Diego County Spring Retreat, March 2022
- Presenter, “Mastering Your Own Density: California’s Density Bonus Law and How to Make it Work for Your City,” City Attorney’s Association of Los Angeles County, July 22, 2021
- Author, “California’s Density Bonus Law 2021 Update: AB 2345 Increases Density Bonus Amount and Parking Benefits,” CEB/Continuing Education of the Bar, April 1, 2021
- Author, “California’s Density Bonus Law 2021 Update,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, February 17, 2021
- Author, “California extends eviction moratorium and approves rental assistance,” Daily Journal, February 11, 2021
- Author, “Eviction Moratorium and Rental Assistance Update: SB 91 Enacts Changes for Landlords and Tenants,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, February 11, 2021
- Presenter, “COVID-19 Landlord-Tenant Law Update: Commercial & Residential Evictions, Moratoria and Litigation,” Real Property Law Section of the Sacramento County Bar Association webinar, December 17, 2020
- Presenter, “COVID-19 Landlord-Tenant Law Update: Commercial & Residential Evictions, Moratoria and Litigation,” Real Estate Sections of the Orange County and Los Angeles County Bar Associations webinar, October 27, 2020
- Presenter, “Housing Bills Avalanche: Local Control and Changing HCD Role,” League of California Cities City Attorneys’ Department Virtual Conference, October 2020
- Author, “Legislature steps in after Judicial Council removes statewide eviction ban,” Daily Journal, September 2, 2020
- Author, “Newsom Signs AB 3088 Into Law: Extends Protections Against Evictions,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, September 2, 2020 (also published on CEB’s Current Awareness Research Platform)
- Author, “New Orders, Ordinances and Legislation Address Financial Impact of COVID-19 on Commercial and Residential Tenants and Landlords,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, June 18, 2020
- Author, “Tenants, Landlords Face a Patchwork of COVID-19 Related Laws,” Daily Journal, June 17, 2020
- Author, “What’s New in California’s Density Bonus Law?,” North County Lawyer, March 2020
- Presenter, “Affordable Housing Law Update 2020,” CEB/Continuing Education of the Bar, February 2020
- Author, “California Changing the Game for Landlords,” North Bay Business Journal, February 2, 2020
- Author, “California’s Density Bonus Law: 2020 Update,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, January 21, 2020
- Author, “AB 1763: Legislature Allows Affordable Housing to be Built Denser and Taller,” New California Laws Special Report, Daily Journal, January 8, 2020
- Author, “Housing Law Update: Summary of California’s New Housing Laws,” Public Law Journal, California Lawyers Association, Fall 2019
- Presenter, “Affordable Housing Law Update,” County Counsels’ Association of California, Fall Land Use Conference, December 2019
- Author, “Housing Law Update: A Summary of California’s New Housing Laws,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, October 23, 2019
- Quoted, “Tenants at Dozens of Buildings Receive Eviction Notices Ahead of State’s New Rent Law,” TheRealDeal, October 11, 2019
- Presenter, “Environmental Stumbling Blocks: Strategies for Avoiding Project Litigation and Overcoming Community Opposition,” P3 Higher Education Conference, October 2019
- Author, “California’s Density Bonus Law: A Checklist for Developers, Cities and Counties,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, September 12, 2019
- Presenter, “Operating Mixed Use: Legal and Operational Issues,” Urban Land Institute, June 2019
- Presenter, “The Wages of Subsidy: When Are Prevailing Wages Required in Publicly Assisted Development Projects?”, Annual Real Property Spring Conference, California Lawyers Association Real Property Law Section, May 2019
- Presenter, “Housing – California’s New Affordable Housing Laws: What are the Legal and Practical Implications?”, City Attorneys Association of San Diego Spring Retreat, March 2019
- Author, “California’s Density Bonus Law: 2019 Update,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, January 16, 2019
- Quoted, “California Cities Could Face New Rent Control Hurdles,” Law360, November 2, 2018
- Quoted, “Riverside County Says its New Salton Sea Plan Could Bring Back Tourism, Generate $1 Billion in Tax Revenue,” Palm Springs Desert Sun, October 24, 2018
- Author, “Prop 10 Could Allow Local Governments to Adopt Rent Control Ordinances,” Western Real Estate Business, September 2018
- Author, “Ballot Initiative Could Increase Rent Control Options for Cities and Counties,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, July 9, 2018
- Quoted, “California Real Estate Regulations to Watch in 2nd Half of 2018,” Law360, July 9, 2018
- Presenter, “Homeownership Programs Primer: Affordability, Program Options and Basic Operations,” Council of Academic Workforce Housing, 2018
- Presenter, “California Housing Law Update,” CEB/Continuing Education of the Bar webinar, 2018
- Author, “New California Laws: Affordable Housing Bill Package,” Daily Journal, January 10, 2018
- Author, “Is a Proposed Development ‘Linkage’ Fee the Answer to LA’s Affordable Housing Crisis?” Western Real Estate Business, January 2018
- Presenter, “California’s New Affordable Housing Laws,” Meyers Nave webinar (three-part series), 2018
- Q&A Interview, “New Linkage Fee Passes In L.A.,” GlobalSt.com, December 22, 2017
- Author, “AB 1505 Revives Power of Cities and Counties to Impose Inclusionary Requirements on Rental Housing Developments,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, October 2017
- Author, “Legislature Establishes ‘Permanent Source’ of Funds for Affordable Housing Through New Fee on Recorded Documents,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, October 2017
- Author, “New Law Creates Streamlined, Ministerial Approval Process for Certain Housing Projects,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, October 2017
- Author, “Guide to the California Density Bonus Law,” January 2017
- Presenter, “Next Generation Economic Development: The Power of Partnerships,” League of California Cities’ City Managers Department Conference, February 2017
- Presenter, “EIFDs and CRIAs: Do They Fill the TIF Void?” 2016 Council of Development Finance Agencies California Financing Roundtable Conference, November 2016
- Presenter, “Turning City Property into Economic Development Treasure,” League of California Cities Annual Conference, October 2016
- Presenter, “Going Downtown – Energizing Senior Living Through Urban Development,” LeadingAge California’s Annual Conference and Exposition, May 2016
- Presenter, “How Cities Can Use Their Existing Land to Achieve Economic Development Goals and Upgrade Their City Facilities,” California Association for Local Economic Development’s 36th Annual Conference, April 2016
- Presenter, “California’s New Economic Development Platform: It’s Green and Sustainable!” League of California Cities’ City Managers Department Conference, February 2016
- Presenter, “Economic Development Project Funding in 2015: Sustainability Replaces Redevelopment,” League of California Cities Annual Conference, October 2015
- Presenter, “Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts,” County Counsels’ Association of California Public Works and Contracts Conference, October 2015
- Presenter, “Public/Private Projects: Success Stories Using New Transition Tools,” The Seminar Group, June 2015
- Presenter, “How to Set-up an EIFD: Moving Beyond Redevelopment & Creating New Infrastructure and Economic Development at All Scales,” The Funding Tool for 21st Century Projects: California’s Enhanced Infrastructure Finance Districts, April 2015
- Presenter, “Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts – Streamlining an Underused Economic Development Tool,” California Association for Local Economic Development’s 35th Annual Training Conference, April 2015
- Presenter, “Economic Development Success – After Redevelopment,” California Downtown Association and International Downtown Association West Coast Urban District Forum, March 2015
- Author, “ Tax Increment Financing Making a Return to California,” Daily Journal, October 9, 2014
- Author, “Obtaining Affordable Housing with Density, Not Dollars – A Guide to the California Density Bonus Law,” The Public Law Journal, Vol. 37, No. 2, Spring 2014
- Author, “Developers Seeking New Sources of Finance After Redevelopment Agencies Vanish,” Daily Journal, October 19, 2012
- Presenter, “The End of Redevelopment – What Does it Mean for Schools?” The Coalition for Adequate School Housing Webinar, February 2012
- Presenter, “Affordability Through Density: Using California’s Density Bonus Law to Create Affordable Housing,” California Redevelopment Association and California Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies’ Affordable Housing Conference, October 2011
- Author, “The Wages of Subsidy: Searching for Value in Public-Private Development Deals,” Los Angeles Daily Journal, August 9, 2011
- Presenter, “Preventing Problematic Commercial Purchase Agreements: The Top Ten Traps for the Unwary,” Sacramento Association of Realtors, February 2011
- Author, “Drawing the Line on Prevailing Wages,” Los Angeles Daily Journal, January 13, 2011
- Presenter, “The New Normal – Opportunities and Challenges in the Coming Post-Recession Real Estate Market,” Legal Updates Workshop, October 2010
- Moderator, “Green Business Strategies – Good for the Economy and the Community – Land Use & Sustainable Communities,” California Air Pollution Control Officers Association’s Climate Change Forum, August 2010
- Author, “Small is the New Big: Downsizing and Creative Financing After the Burst of the Housing Bubble,” Redevelopment: Building Better Communities, June 2010
- Author, “The Wages of Subsidy: Prevailing Wages as the Cost of Public Assistance to Development Projects,” North State Builder, May-June 2010
- Author, “Make Smart Growth a Smart Business Choice,” San Luis Obispo Tribune, January 7, 2010
Affiliations
- Member, California Association for Local Economic Development, Tax Increment Financing Committee
- Member, Urban Land Institute, Orange County Public Realm Initiative
- Member, Real Property and Public Law Sections, California Lawyers Association
- Member, California Redevelopment Association, Housing Task Force, 1990-2012
- Founding Member, Irvine Community Land Trust, Board of Directors, 2007-2009
- Member, San Luis Obispo County Habitat for Humanity, Board of Directors (2011-2016), Chair (2012-2013)
- Member, City of San Luis Obispo Land Use and Circulation Element Update Task Force, 2012-2015
- Member, Home Builders Association of the Central Coast, Board of Directors (2012-2015), Government Affairs Committee (2009-2015)
- Member, San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce, Housing Committee (2015), Legislative Committee (2012), Economic Development Committee (2010-2011)
Education
- Harvard Law SchoolJD, cum laude, 1987
- University of California at San DiegoBA, magna cum laude, 1982