(Dec. 4, 2018, 3:10 p.m.) -- State Senator Scott Wiener (D, San Francisco) has kept his word, swiftly introducing a new bill -- SB 50 (patterned after his In a release, Sen. Wiener says SB 50 is "modeled on SB 827 of the last legislative session [and] legalizes more housing near job centers and public transportation by overriding hyper-restrictive low-density zoning, while protecting against displacement of renters and vulnerable communities." In his release, Sen. Wiener says SB 50 (which he calls the More Homes Act: Housing, Opportunity, Mobility, Equity and Stability) would "eliminate density restrictions for housing near high quality transit and in job-rich areas, in order to ensure that the benefits of public investments in transit are accessible to Californians of all incomes and to enable people to live near where they work. It applies these standards to sites within a half mile of fixed rail and a quarter mile of high-frequency bus stops and in job-rich areas. Within these geographies, a city may not limit density (e.g., banning apartment buildings). Within a half mile of fixed rail, a city may not impose maximum height limits lower than either 55 feet or 45 feet. (Bus stops and job-rich areas will not trigger height increases; rather local height limits will apply.) To view SB 50's full text as introduced, click here. The measure will now be sent to at least one state Senate policy committee (with a Dem chair and a Dem membership majority) for a hearing. Among SB 50's initially listed co-authors is state Senator John Moorlach, an OC Republican. In a release (text below), Senator Wiener says SB 50 has the support of the State Building and Construction Trades Council (which opposed SB 827) and is also supported by the CA Apartment Association. He says L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti "has made positive statements regarding the direction of the bill" [translation: short of an endorsement. Garcetti's statement is "Our state is coping with a housing crisis that threatens the California dream and I applaud Senator Wiener for his bold efforts to help us get housing built while protecting people from being priced out of communities where they have invested so much of their lives. This bill is a good first step, and I will continue working with him to make certain that these statewide solutions are the right fit for Angelenos."]" Sen. Wiener says SB 50 is supported by SF Mayor London Breed, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, Sacramento Mayor Darrell, Steinberg. There's no mention of a position pro or con by Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia (who doesn't set policy) or any Long Beach Councilmembers (who do decide policy (including some speculated as possible candidates for a LB-area state Senate seat in 2019] or any current Long Beach area state lawmakers. [Scroll down for further.] |
In early 2018, a LB election-cycle groundswell of residents opposed to revision to LB's Land Use Element (LUE) that could invite increased density, led LB Councilmembers to oppose SB 827 after inviting Sen. Wiener to amend the bill in ways the Senator declined to do. SB 827 ultimately stalled in the state Senate amid opposition from multiple constituencies statewide but with Senator Wiener publicly vowing to reintroduce a new version with the new legislative session...which is exactly what he's done. [Sen. Wiener Dec. 4 release text]...[T]he More HOMES Act (Housing, Opportunity, Mobility, Equity, and Stability) [SB 50] creates new zoning standards for the construction of housing near job centers and public transportation, while protecting against the displacement of renters and vulnerable communities living in those areas. SB 50 eliminates hyper-low-density zoning near transit and job centers, thus legalizing apartment buildings in these locations so that more people can live near transit and near where they work. It also reduces or eliminates minimum parking requirements for new developments.
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