It's Back: Sac'to's SB 9 (Co-Authored by LB State Senator Gonzalez) That Would Allow Four Housing Units (Opponents Say Six) On Single Family Home Lots Just Advanced In State Senate Committee; LB City Hall Silent (Again); State Senator Umberg Votes "Yes"

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(April 15, 2021) -- As flashed earlier today (April 15) on LBREPORT.com, the state Senate Housing Committee -- with SE LB state Senator Tom Umberg (D) voting "yes" -- advanced SB 9 that would allow four housing units (opponents say up to six) on single family home lots.

Today's vote sends SB 9 to the state Senate Governance and Finance Committee for a likely late April hearing. SB 9 is co-authored by state Senator Lena Gonzalez (D, LB-SE LA County). and in today's Housing Commitee hearing SB9's primary author, Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D, San Diego), acknowledged that (despite its duplex verbiage) SB 9 allows up to four housing units on single family home lots.

Livable California says SB 9 allows up to six units and invites "McMansions" on single family home lots. "SB 9 is an unprecedented experiment that invites speculators and big investors to disrupt homeownership and harm the stability of 21M Californians," states Livable California on its website.

SB 9 supporters say SB 9's is a "modest" [their term] increase in density needed to deal with California's "housing crisis." Some also argue SB 9 addresses present day effects of past racial discrimination reflected in single family home zoning.

Long Beach City Hall has currently taken no position on SB 9 whiich is nearly identifical to last year's SB 1120. The City of LB remained neutral throughout last year's legislative process as SB 1120 advanced to near passage, but was strongly opposed locally by Corliss Lee's grassroots The Eastside Voice.

For quick launch on-demand audio of the April 15 state Senate committee hearing, click here

Opening statement 0:00 to 32:41.

Supportive testimomy 32:41 to 56:15.

SB 9 author Atkins closing and vote from 56:15 to file end at 1:13:50

A Senate Housing Committee legislative analysis states that SB 9:

a) Clarifies that no more than two units are authorized when providing for ministerial approval of a duplex on a single-family parcel.
c) Adds a new provision specifying that this bill shall not be construed to supersede the California Coastal Act of 1976, except that local governments shall not be required to hold public hearings for coastal development permit applications for a housing development pursuant to this bill.
d) Precludes locals from requiring either unit in a duplex or unis on a lot split from being at least 800 square feet.
e) Authorize the lot splits to be up to 40/60 split, instead of two parcels of equal size.
f) Allows a local government to impose owner occupancy requirements on a lot split if it meets either of the following requirements: (i) the applicant intends to live in the unit for a minimum of one year from the date of the approval of the lot split, or (ii) the applicant is a “qualified non-profit”. No additional owner occupancy standards may be imposed, and this requirement expires after five years.

Long Beach City Hall's Government Affairs Manager, Dr. Tyler Curlet, says the City hasn't taken a position on SB 9 "at this time [since] it's still early in the legislative session [and] we continue to monitor these bills as they’re amended through the committee process."

Below are the CA cities currently opposing SB 9. .