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Jolie Houston

Jolie Houston

Partner
San Jose Office 408.286.5800 Vcard Email

Areas of Focus:

Ms. Houston practices in the areas of land use and municipal law. She joined Berliner Cohen in 1998. Ms. Houston represents private land use clients in a wide variety of land use and regulatory approvals.

Since December 2019 Ms. Houston has been serving as the City Attorney for the City of Los Altos.

From August 2016 until October 2018, Ms. Houston served as the Interim City Attorney for the City of Merced. She has been serving as the Assistant City Attorney for Gilroy for 24 years. She also served as the City Attorney for Los Altos for 13 years and District Counsel for the Sanitary District No. 1 of Marin County for four years, and was formerly the Deputy City Attorney for the City of Santa Clara.

Representative Cases

  • City of Morgan Hill v. Shannon Bushey, as Registrar, etc. et. al. (River Park Hospitality, Real Party in interest and Respondent) (2017) 12 Cal. App 5th 34, [6th Dis. 2017 Review granted Aug. 23, 2017, 5243042. Represented Real Party in Interest River Park Hospitality in local agency referendum challenge.
  •  Los Altos Golf & Country Club v. County of Santa Clara 165 Cal.App.4th 198 (6th Dist. 2008) As Counsel for the City of Los Altos, successfully defended the City of Los Altos and County of Santa Clara against a class action lawsuit for sewer fee refunds under the Health & Safety Code, as well as constitutional claims.
  • Vinod Patel v. City of Gilroy 97 Cal.App.4th 483 (6th Dist. 2002) As Counsel for the City of Gilroy, successfully defended the City’s Transient Occupancy Tax Ordinance from a constitutional challenge.

Representative Matters

  • Ms. Houston practices in the area of land use and municipal law. Her municipal and private practice also includes land use and CEQA litigation.
  • Ms. Houston represents private and public land use clients in a wide variety of land use and regulatory approvals, such as CEQA, Map Act including certificates of compliance, Density Bonus, Housing Accountability Act, transit orient developments, development impact fees, development agreements, data center permits, prevailing wages, zoning compliance, including non-conforming uses, conditional use permits and variances.
  • Ms. Houston’s practice also includes advising on compliance with the Public Records Act, Brown Act Conflict of Interest and Propositions 218 and 26, and Referendum and Initiatives Issues.
  • Ms. Houston has worked with county staff and appeared before the Board of Supervisors in Santa Clara, as well as represented clients for city approvals in American Canyon, Campbell, Hillsborough, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Modesto, Napa, San Jose, Santa Clara, Saratoga and Scotts Valley.

Personal

  • Born in Sacramento, California
  • Interests include running, skiing, cooking and gardening

Professional Admissions

  • State Bar of California

Presentations

  • “Back to Basics…and Beyond. A look at the Record Laws that Govern City Clerks, “City Clerk's Association of California Region 14-Educational Workshop,” June 7, 2019
  • “Public Records Act and Attorney-Client Privilege: The Sanctity of the Attorney-Client Privilege and Issues Relating to Confidential Investigations,” “California Lawyer Association, Public Law Section, Open Meetings and Open Records Conference,” May 2019
  • “The Public Records Act After the San Jose Decision,” League of California Cities, 2018 Planning Commissioners Academy, April 5, 2018
  • “The Public Records Act After the San Jose Decision and Building the Administrative Record,” City Clerks Association of California - Educational Workshop, November 29, 2017
  • League of California Cities, City Attorney Webinar: “Public Records Act Practices after the San Jose Decision,” July 20, 2017
  • “Government Clerks and Litigation: What You Need to Know,” Master Municipal Clerks and Clerk of the Board Academy, February 2017
  • “The California Public Records Act in an Electronic World,” City Clerks Association of California Annual Conference – April 2015
  • “Planning Essentials 101,” “CEQA Documents:  What You Need to Read,” League of California Cities Planning Commissioners Academy, March 2015
  • “Planning Commissioner’s Roles and Responsibilities,” League of California Cities Planning Commissioners Academy, February 2013
  • “The Peoples Business: A Guide to the California Public Records Act and the Additional Obligations of Sunshine Laws,” Northern California City Clerks Association, January 2012
  • “Sign Regulation in the Digital Age,” League of California Cities Planners Expo,
  • March 2011
  • “Foreclosures” Annual Conference, League of California Cities, September 2008
  • “Reviewing Projects–Condition of Approval and Findings,” League of California Cities Planners Expo, March 2006 and March 2007
  • “Revenue Raising Options for Cities: Adopting and Enforcing Transient Occupancy Taxes,” City Attorneys Department Spring Conference, League of California Cities, May 2004
  • “Zoning and Land Use in California,” Lorman Education Services, faculty speaker and panelist, San Jose, April 2003

Articles / Publications

  • “What Cities Should Know About Public Records in Private Accounts” August 2017 edition of Western City magazine.
  • “Cost Effective Public Records Act Compliance and Transparency Following Proposition 42” – January 2015 edition of Western States magazine.

Activities / Memberships

  • State Bar of California, Public Law Section Executive Committee, 2004–2008, Secretary/Vice Chair, 2005 – 2008
  • League of California Cities, Municipal Law Handbook Committee, Chapter Chair, Foundations of Municipal Government, 2005–2007, 2009-2011, 2012-2014
  • League of California Cities, City Attorneys Department’s Nominating Committee, 2006
  • League of California Cities, Public Records Act Committee, 2007-2008, 2013-2015
  • League of California Cities, Public Records Act Committee, Chair, 2016-2022
  • Santa Clara County Bar Association, Environmental Law and Women Lawyers Section
  • Santa Clara County YWCA Board Member, 2000–2004

Education

  • Santa Clara University School of Law, J.D., 1993
  • University of California at Davis, 1978