End of Session Update – September 2019

SB 6 (Beall): Surplus Lands –  creates a statewide list of all local lands suitable and available for residential development as identified by local governments
Position: Support
Action: Passed by the Legislature

SB 196 (Beall): Property Taxes Community Land Trusts – creates a new property tax exemption for certain undeveloped land owned by a community land trust
Position: Support
Action: Passed by the Legislature

SB 330 (Skinner): Establishes the Housing Crisis Act of 2019 and provides stability and transparency for developers by restricting local changes to building requirements upon permit completion
Position: Support
Action: Passed by the Legislature

AB 68 (Ting): Encourages development by reducing zoning barriers for building.
Position: Support
Action: Passed by the Legislature

AB 69 (Ting): Reducing costs in the construction and developing guidelines for smaller quarters
Position: Support
Action: Held on the Inactive File to be revisited next year
Note: Due to concerns raised by HCD and the Governor’s office, the Author decided to hold this bill and will revisit next year

AB 881 (Bloom): Eliminating barriers and freeing up infill space on properties to develop units
Position: Support
Action: Passed by the Legislature

AB 1483 (Grayson): Housing Data – Fee collection and reporting to HCD
Position: Support
Action: Passed by the Legislature

AB 1484 (Grayson):
Position: Support
Action: Held in Rules Committee to be revisited next year
Note: Due to the delay in the HCD fee report, the main substance intended to go into this bill was significantly delayed as well. The author plans to revisit this next year, when stakeholders have more time to identify continued concerns as it relates to fees and will work with sponsors to craft language to address concerns raised by the report

AB 1486 (Ting): Prioritizes disposing of local agency unused lands for affordable housing projects
Position: Support
Action: Passed by the Legislature

Next Step: Governor Newsom has until October 13 to sign or veto all legislation that passed by the Legislature tonight. Legislation he signs will be effective on January 1, 2020, or later if specified. Bills that stalled in the Legislature may be considered again in January, if the author so chooses.

I think it is especially important to note that although many important housing measures passed this year, we view this as only Part 1 in a 2 Part approach to addressing our state’s housing crisis. While SB 330 (Skinner) passed and made its way to the Governor, many pro-production bills stalled. The goal of reducing homelessness and providing more stable housing in California cannot only be solved by preserving current housing stock and protecting homeowners and tenants, we must also pursue more meaningful measures to spur housing production as well; otherwise we will never build the 200,000/year needed to provide safe, stable, and affordable housing to residents in this great state. We are committed to continuing to push for such measures and look forward to working on these important issues with you in the 2020 legislative cycle.