Dear Reader,

This month of July let’s have a discussion about housing, not the current market but “The Future of Housing”. A term now being used by many Legislators. What is causing this push for higher density projects like the proposed 78-units at 3411-3437 Foothill in La Crescenta? Is there a goal to eliminate R1 Zoning? Below are some of the latest proposals and recently passed legislation to address these questions.

The creation of a Statewide Coalition of Local Elected Officials and Housing Advocates to Reform Housing Policy is spearheaded by Assemblymember Laura Friedman. Their goals to fight housing affordability and homelessness are outlined in her press release: (Source link 1)  https://a43.asmdc.org/press-releases/20210406-friedman-assembles-statewide-coalition-local-elected-officials-and-housing

Understanding Density bonus legislation: Density bonus laws have been on the books for 40 years. However, according to legislators, the law has failed to draw enough interest from developers and did not result in a significant increase in affordable homes.  AB 2345 increases density from 35% to 50%. “AB 2345 will help alleviate California’s housing shortage by expanding California’s Density Bonus Law,” said Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) who co-authored the bill with Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco). AB 2345 signed into law by Governor Newsom on Sept. 2020. (Source link 2) https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB2345

Proposed Legislation that will allow more development and zone changes.

AB 1401: Residential and commercial development: remodeling, renovations, and additions: parking requirements. Introduced by Assembly Member Laura Friedman, (Coauthor: Assembly Member Lee), (Coauthors: Senators Skinner and Wiener) This bill would prohibit a local government public agency from imposing a minimum automobile parking requirement. (Source Link 3)
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1401

AB 2323: California Environmental Quality Act: exemptions.  Introduced by Assembly Members Laura Friedman and Chiu (Coauthors: Assembly Members Carrillo and Mathis) (Source link 4) https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB2323

SB 478: Planning and Zoning Law: housing development projects. (2021-2022)
Lead author Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) the Housing Opportunity Act, ensures that local zoned density and state housing laws are not undermined by hyper-restrictive lot requirements that make it practically impossible to build multifamily apartment buildings in areas zoned to allow them.
(Source link 5 and 6)
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB478
https://sd11.senate.ca.gov/news/20210218-senator-wiener-introduces-2021-housing-legislation-address-california%E2%80%99s-housing-crisis

Is this the end of R1- Single-Family zoning? Why Legislators are saying this zone is discriminatory. Did you know Sacramento is already on its way to eliminating the R1 zone? (Source link 7) https://ktla.com/news/california/sacramento-moves-toward-becoming-one-of-1st-u-s-cities-to-eliminate-single-family-zoning/

What is Exclusionary zoning? According to the term, exclusionary zoning was introduced in the early 1900s, typically to prevent racial and ethnic minorities from moving into the middle- and upper-class neighborhoods. (Source Link 8) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusionary_zoning

“Abundant Housing LA.org ” addresses Exclusionary zones. “Years of bad planning practices and opposition to dense housing development have also left us with a rapidly deteriorating environment.”
(Source Link 9) https://abundanthousingla.org/?fbclid=IwAR0ESu-RNW_B5Sq7ORZg0mv8iHWxRuwalkAUtpJBKh5WeC6_XEC4TGmQgjA

Learn more from Assembly Member Laura Friedman’s Town Hall Zoom meeting with Abundant Housing LA: (Source Link 10) https://www.facebook.com/AssemblymemberLauraFriedman/posts/1792798630881385

Lastly at the Federal level the 2021 Infrastructure Bill: The President’s plan invests $213 billion to produce, preserve, and retrofit more than two million affordable and sustainable places to live. It pairs this investment with an innovative new approach to eliminate state and local exclusionary zoning laws, which drive up the cost of construction and keep families from moving to neighborhoods with more opportunities for them and their kids. (Source link 11 scroll a bit)
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/31/fact-sheet-the-american-jobs-plan/

I guess the next question is what is being done to handle the overload on our water and energy resources?  Do you agree or disagree with these policies? Let me know your thoughts.

Respectfully,

Robbyn Battles
Robbyn@thehouseagent.com