July 27, 2023

Written By California YIMBY

READ AND DOWNLOAD THE FULL MEETING NOTES HERE.

Local Updates:

  • RISE Economy is working on a 2024 campaign to establish a state level Community Reinvestment Act. They are hosting a pre-convening educational webinar on Wednesday August 2nd @11am.

  • Eric Payne, Executive Director for the Central Valley Urban Institute, gave an update on their four main projects in the Central Valley/Fresno area right now:

    • Ensuring that the historical Helm Home, a shared nonprofit same in a low-income neighborhood being sold by the Fresno Housing Authority, is sold to a developer that will retain the space’s benefit to the community and turn it into a youth shelter.

    • Reviewing the Fresno Housing Authority’s ACOP and annual plan and engaging the Fresno Housing Authority to address several recommendations that may cause harm to low-income residents.

    • Holding the City of Fresno accountable for how it spends and distributes $250 million it was recently awarded to building housing in downtown Fresno. CVUI will be fighting to ensure that new housing is actually affordable and accessible to low-income residents.

    • Preparing a lawsuit to stop the City of Fresno from rezoning nearly 100 acres from residential mixed-use back into industrial use. 

    • If you are interested in learning more about these efforts or getting involved, you can reach Eric at eric.paynecmc@gmail.com. 

General Legislative Overview:

  • On July 14th, the legislature adjourned for the long-awaited summer recess, sending members back to their districts for the month.

    • The break marks the deadline for policy committee hearings, signaling the near end of the first year of the 2023-2024 legislative session.

    • During this time, many members and stakeholders continue to negotiate controversial legislative measures, hoping to iron out any remaining issues before returning for fiscal committees in mid-August.

  • Upon return, we will head into the final sprint, with fiscal committees and floor votes through mid-September before successful measures will go to the Governor’s desk for signature.

    • This year saw a number of bills related to housing, including measures to address homelessness, renter protections, and ownership.

    • The legislature continues to highlight the importance of housing production, preservation, and protections to address growing concerns over California’s housing crisis. Notably, there is more support to combat opposition arguments against increased production, marking a stark and welcomed change.

Relevant/HWG Member-Sponsored or Supported Housing Legislation:

  • SB 684 (Caballero) – this measure would streamline the building permit and subdivision mapping process for infill homeownership projects of 10 units or less to facilitate entry level homeownership opportunities throughout the state.

    • The legislation was developed by California Community Builders, LISC San Diego, Central Valley Urban Institute, California YIMBY, UnidosUS, CCEDA, SALEF, 

    • Also supported by these HWG participants: Habitat for Humanity CA, United Way Greater LA, New Way Homes, Abundant Housing LA, Neighborhood Housing Services of LA County, Urban League of San Diego County, Community Housing Opportunities Corp, Clinica Romero, ICON, RISE Economy (California Reinvestment Corporation)

  • SB 423 (Wiener) – would extend the provisions of SB 35, which has become one of the most successful tools to produce thousands of new subsidized affordable homes across California since its passage in 2017. SB 423 extends SB 35 to 2036, which will ensure the law continues to reduce housing costs by helping to accelerate construction of new, affordable and mixed-income homes in the places they’re most needed.

    • sponsored by California Housing Consortium, California Conference of Carpenters, Inner City Law Center, LISC San Diego, California YIMBY

    • Supported by these HWG participants: CCEDA, Community Coalition, Habitat for Humanity CA, United Way Greater LA, Urban League of San Diego County, Abundant Housing LA, California Community Builders, Neighborhood Housing Services of LA County, ICON CDC

  • AB 1332 (J. Carrillo) - would require each local agency to develop a program for the preapproval of ADU plans by January 1, 2025 to facilitate and reduce the barriers to constructing ADUs statewide; increasing housing supply

    • Author sponsored

  • AB 1508 (Ramos) - would require the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to include a goal to increase homeownership among first-time home buyers in the state.

    • sponsored by The Two Hundred

    • Supported by these HWG participants: by LISC San Diego, California Community Builders, UnidosUS, Community Housing Opportunities Corporation, California YIMBY

  • ACA 1 (Aguiar Curry) – would amend the California Constitution to allow a city, county, or special district, with 55% voter approval, to incur bonded indebtedness or impose specified special taxes to fund projects for affordable housing, permanent supportive housing, or public infrastructure.

    • sponsored by CA Professional Firefighters

    • Supported by these HWG participants: Habitat for Humanity CA, Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation, Abundant Housing LA, California YIMBY

  • SB 225 (Caballero) – would establish the Community Anti-Displacement and Preservation Program (CAPP) at the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to fund the acquisition and rehabilitation of unrestricted housing units and attach long-term affordability restrictions on the housing units, while safeguarding against the displacement of current residents. 

    • sponsored by Enterprise Community Partners, Housing California, and Public Advocates

    • Supported by these HWG participants: Greenlining, Habitat for Humanity CA, UnidosUS, Central Valley Urban Institute, Tenderloin  Neighborhood Development Corporation, RISE Economy (California Reinvestment Coalition), Inner City Law Center, UnidosUS

  • SB 4 (Wiener) - would make it legal for faith-based institutions and non-profit colleges to build affordable, multi-family homes on lands they own by streamlining the permitting process and overriding local zoning restrictions. It would also guarantee “by-right” approval of new homes, consistent with objective building standards and compliant with existing environmental protections.

    • sponsored by California Conference of Carpenters, Inner City Law Center, Jewish Public Affairs Committee, Non-profit Housing Association of Northern California (NPH), Southern California Association of Non-profit Housing (SCANPH) 

    • Supported by these HWG participants: Abundant Housing LA, Greenlining, Habitat for Humanity CA, United Way of Greater Los Angeles

  • AB 12 (Haney) - would limit the maximum amount a landlord can demand for a security deposit to one month’s rent

    • Author sponsored

  • AB 799 (L.Rivas) – would require the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal-ICH) to: (1) develop a financing plan to solve homelessness by the year 2035, (2) establish and update statewide performance metrics by January 1, 2025, and (3) create a streamlined funding application for specified state housing and homelessness programs 

    • sponsored by Corporation for Supportive Housing, Housing California, John Burton Advocates for Youth, National Alliance to End Homelessness, San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness, Silicon Valley Leadership Group

California YIMBY
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