Chino Hills, CA Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)
Key Facts
- Base low-income threshold
- 10% of units for lower income
- Base very-low threshold
- 5% of units for very low income
- Max bonus (low income)
- 50% at 24% low-income units
- State law controls conflicts
- Gov. Code § 65915
- Governing section
- CHMC § 16.10.130
Summary
Chino Hills grants a density bonus and development incentives to housing projects that set aside units for lower, very low, or moderate income households, seniors, or other qualifying groups under § 16.10.130. The local bonus scales up on a sliding table, and Government Code § 65915 controls wherever city and state provisions conflict.
B.General Density Bonus Provisions.1.Consistency with Government Code. Wherever provisions of this chapter conflict with or are superseded by Government Code Section 65915, the provisions of Government Code Section 65915 shall take precedence...5.Available Density Bonus Options. The City Council will grant one density bonus, the amount of which will be as specified in Section 16.10.130(E), and incentives or concessions as described in Section 16.10.130(C), when an applicant for a housing development seeks and agrees to construct a housing development, excluding any units permitted by the density bonus awarded pursuant to this chapter, that will contain at least one of the following:a.Ten (10) percent of the total units of a housing development for lower income households.b.Five (5) percent of the total units of a housing development for very low income households.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 61).
Full Breakdown
130(B)(1) states that wherever this chapter conflicts with or is superseded by Government Code § 65915, the state statute controls. 130(B)(5), the City Council grants one density bonus plus incentives or concessions when a housing developer agrees to set aside at least 10 percent of units for lower income households, 5 percent for very low income households, 10 percent of a common interest development for moderate income households, a senior citizen housing development, or other qualifying categories including transitional foster youth, disabled veterans, homeless persons, or lower income student housing.
130(D): 10 percent low-income units earns a 20 percent density bonus, rising to 50 percent at 24 percent low-income units, with similar climbing tables for very low and moderate income projects. 130(E)). 130(B)(10)).
Violations & Fines
An applicant who misrepresents unit affordability or fails to record the required deed restrictions and equity-sharing agreements risks losing the density bonus and forfeiting the additional units on enforcement by the Community Development Director. Because Chapter 16.10 is part of the Development Code, a violation of its conditions is enforceable as a misdemeanor under § 1.36.010, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail, or as an infraction with escalating $100 to $500 fines under § 1.36.020, alongside any state remedies under Government Code § 65915.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of a density bonus can a Chino Hills project earn?
Does state law override the city's density bonus chapter?
What else besides extra density can a qualifying project get?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chino Hills
California rules heatmap·Compare Chino Hills to another location·View the California zoning overlays & bonuses overview
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Density Bonus Law in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle density bonus law.