Under California's SB 1123, developers can utilize a ministerial approval process to bypass local zoning requirements. If an application meets basic state criteria, the City of Campbell is legally mandated to approve up to 9 units on a single-family lot within 60 days—completely eliminating public hearings, neighborhood notices, environmental studies, or discretionary council review. Currently, 16 projects are tracked in the pipeline across Campbell.
On April 21, intense community advocacy influenced the Campbell City Council to pass Ordinance No. 26-2347, closing the loophole that previously allowed occupied homes to be slated for demolition. This protection dictates that “Starter Home” applications can only be submitted for lots that are already truly vacant (or if the structure is abandoned or uninhabitable).
However, this safeguard is temporary. The ordinance will officially expire on June 6. On June 7, the legal loophole is scheduled to reopen completely, allowing developers to resume targeting occupied neighborhood homes unless we secure an extension.
Campbell is reviewing starter-home projects under Ordinance 2334 (July 2025), implementing CA State Law SB 1123. These allow up to 10 homes on single-family lots via ministerial approval — no environmental review, traffic study, or hearings. If criteria are met, cities must approve within 60 days of complete application.
State law imposes no obligation to notify adjacent neighbors before a starter-home project is approved. By the time a permit appears on the city's public portal — or a demolition crew shows up — the decision is final. No appeal, no reconsideration, no public meeting. Submitted plans show buildings up to 3 stories and 35 feet tall, with upper floors looking directly into adjacent yards and windows.
The key issue: must parcels be truly vacant at application time per SB 1123, or can Campbell treat them as vacant based on future demolition plans? Campbell appears to take a broader approach than other CA cities, allowing demolition proposals to qualify lots as ‘vacant.’ This determines ministerial eligibility — and could open many single-family lots to dense starter-home projects.
Campbell starter homes newsletter (city source)If you want Campbell to reconsider Ordinance 2334, the most effective step is to ask them to pause, apply the vacancy standard exactly as state law requires, and explain why Campbell should follow a broader interpretation than other cities. Ask for full transparency before any vote. For existing projects, ask the city to deny applications where the lot was not vacant at time of submission — state law preempts local ordinances.
9 of these 16 projects are in R-1 single-family zones. Projects marked “Under Review” are still in the eligibility window — this is when resident engagement matters most.
| Address | Units | Zoning | Status | Tier | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1124 Holmes Ave | 9 | Single-Family | Under Review | Tier 1 | View map |
| 1573 Walnut Dr | 9 | Single-Family | Under Review | Tier 1 | View map |
| 661 W Parr Ave | 9 | Single-Family | Under Review | Tier 1 | View map |
| 474 Budd Ave | 5 | Single-Family | Under Review | Tier 1 | View map |
| 127 Budd Ave | 6 | Single-Family | Under Review | Tier 1 | View map |
| 1170 Steinway Ave | 5 | Single-Family | Under Review | Tier 1 | View map |
| 1995 White Oaks Rd | 6 | Single-Family | Under Review | Tier 1 | View map |
| 935 S San Tomas Aquino Rd | 9 | Single-Family | Under Review | Tier 1 | View map |
| 930 S San Tomas Aquino Rd | 5 | Single-Family | Under Review | Tier 1 | View map |
| 1236 W Hacienda Ave | 8 | Mixed-Use | Approved | Tier 2 | View map |
| 900 S San Tomas Aquino Rd | 6 | Mixed-Use | Approved | Tier 2 | View map |
| 1200 Smith Ave | 5 | Mixed-Use | Under Review | Tier 2 | View map |
| 300 Redding Rd | 6 | Multi-Family | Approved | Tier 3 | View map |
| 321 Industrial St | 2 | Multi-Family | Approved | Tier 3 | View map |
| 120-132 Kennedy Ave | 9 | Multi-Family | Under Review | Tier 3 | View map |
| 2265 S Winchester Blvd | 8 | Mixed-Use | Under Review | Tier 3 | View map |
Start here for the basics on starter-home projects, city review, and respectful public participation.
SB 1123 is a California law allowing certain small-scale housing developments, including multiple units on parcels that previously allowed a single home.
Projects submitted under Campbell’s implementation of SB 1123 and related housing policies.
No. This site is focused on awareness, information, and participation.
Stay informed, attend meetings, share respectful comments, volunteer, and engage with neighbors.
No. Ministerial approval means no public hearing, no design review, and no right of appeal. Your only meaningful window is before a project is formally submitted, or while the city is still determining eligibility.
If a project meets all objective criteria, the city has 60 days to approve it. If it doesn't act, the project is automatically deemed approved. There is no step where neighbors are consulted.
Any R-1 single-family lot that is vacant — or where a developer plans to demolish the existing home — could qualify. The city's current interpretation of 'vacant' means occupied homes are not necessarily protected from this pathway.
Cities that deny qualifying projects face legal exposure under state housing law. The dispute is over how the law is interpreted locally — specifically, whether a home must already be demolished, or merely promised to be demolished, for a lot to qualify as 'vacant'.
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