One bill requires denser and taller zoning near transit
A legislative package that seeks to create more housing in California has been introduced in the state’s Senate.
The package, introduced by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, consists of three bills and builds on housing legislation passed in the previous legislative session.
SB 827 mandates denser and taller zoning near transit. SB 828 reforms the Regional Housing Needs Assessment process. The assessment, which provides local communities with numerical housing goals, will be made more data-driven and less political. Finally, under SB 829, housing opportunities for farmworkers will be expanded while at the same time maintaining strong worker protections.
“Last year, we pivoted from a housing-last policy to a housing-first policy for California,” Wiener said. “After nearly 50 years of bad housing policy – policy designed to make it incredibly hard and expensive to create housing – we began the long process of righting the ship and recognizing that housing must be a high priority for our state. Yet, even with last year’s fantastic progress, much work remains, and we must continue our momentum toward a better housing future for the residents of our state. Whether in transit-rich city centers, suburbs, or rural areas, people throughout California need better access to housing. California’s housing shortage is statewide, and we need statewide housing solutions.”
The California Legislature in its 2017 session passed 15 housing bills to address the state’s housing shortage.
Related stories:
San Francisco tops cities where majority can't afford homes
Litigation under environmental law worsens California housing crisis, study claims
The package, introduced by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, consists of three bills and builds on housing legislation passed in the previous legislative session.
SB 827 mandates denser and taller zoning near transit. SB 828 reforms the Regional Housing Needs Assessment process. The assessment, which provides local communities with numerical housing goals, will be made more data-driven and less political. Finally, under SB 829, housing opportunities for farmworkers will be expanded while at the same time maintaining strong worker protections.
“Last year, we pivoted from a housing-last policy to a housing-first policy for California,” Wiener said. “After nearly 50 years of bad housing policy – policy designed to make it incredibly hard and expensive to create housing – we began the long process of righting the ship and recognizing that housing must be a high priority for our state. Yet, even with last year’s fantastic progress, much work remains, and we must continue our momentum toward a better housing future for the residents of our state. Whether in transit-rich city centers, suburbs, or rural areas, people throughout California need better access to housing. California’s housing shortage is statewide, and we need statewide housing solutions.”
The California Legislature in its 2017 session passed 15 housing bills to address the state’s housing shortage.
Related stories:
San Francisco tops cities where majority can't afford homes
Litigation under environmental law worsens California housing crisis, study claims
