(March 11, 2019, 1:40 p.m.) -- If a majority of the Dem super-majority Sacramento legislature agrees with Governor Gavin Newsom (a Dem), cities across California would be faced with meeting higher "Regional Housing Needs Assessment" (RHNA) housing "goals" with less time allowed and with teeth attached in numbers decided in our area by the "Southern California Association of Governments" (SCAG) coupled with what the Governor calls "incentives" for cities to reach the escalated three year RHNA "goals" within two years.
In addition, cities that Sacramento deems "non-compliant" in terms of their housing element or in not zoning and entitling tor the escalated RHNA housing "goals" could lose SB 1 Local Streets and Roads funds (gasoline tax imposed on CA rivers by the state legislature in 2017, maintained by CA voters in 2018 despite petition intiative seeking its repeal.) In a release today (March 11), Governor Newsom proposes that three Sacramento bodies -- the California State Transportation Agency, the CA Department of Housing & Community Development and the Governor's Office of Planning and Research -- collaborate "to engage stakeholders and propose an improved RHNA process and methodology" and "engage stakeholders and propose opportunities to link transportation and other non-housing funds with housing goals by the end of 2022" with teeth attached to that "opportunity." In his release, Governor Newsom states: "Beginning July 1, 2023, SB 1 [gasoline tax funds] may bve withheld from any jurisdiction that does not have a compliant housing element and has not zoned and entitled for its its updated annual housing goals." Some or all of the Governor's legislative proposals could be come to a new Long Beach-S.E. L.A. County state Senator (decided in part by residents in roughly half of LB on March 26 with runoff if needed June 4) from a field of 11 active candidates. Among the candidates is Long Beach Councilwoman Lena Gonzalez, who voted twice in 2018 to protect local control in approving the City's 2019 "State Legislative Agenda" (policies that the City says it will support or oppose in Sacramento.) The City's State Legislative Agenda recites that the City will "Support policies, legislation and grants that increase funding for affordable housing when equitable to Long Beach" but also includes the following: "Oppose legislation that would reduce the City's local land use authority" and "Oppose legislation that preempts the City's existing control over local matters." On October 23, 2018, Councilwoman Gonzalez voted as Vice Chair of the Council's State Legislative Committee to approve inclusion of the above text and on November 13, 2018, voted to adopt it as City of Long Beach 2019 legislative policies. The full text of Governor Newsom's release follows below: |
[Gov. Newsom March 11, 2019 release text]
Governor Newsom's action today follows a Feb. 19 meeting (held at LBCC) with a number of officials from various southern California cities during which he indicated Sacramento would help cities meet state-sought housing numbers...and didn't back away from his willingness to sue cities that Sacramento deems non-compliant on land use element matters. (LBREPORT.com coverage, including extended video of Governor's Feb. 19 press event, click here. Developing.
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Hardwood Floor Specialists Call (562) 422-2800 or (714) 836-7050 |