Eastside Voice President Corliss Lee urges voters CDs 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 to replace their Council incumbents in 2022, all of whom shrugged months of pleas by neighborhood groups to agendize Council opposition to the bills (pending since Dec 2020)

(Sept. 16, 2021, 8:35 p.m.) -- Two days after avoiding a recall, Governor Gavin Newsom has signed SB 9 (requires cities except in state specified historic districts to allow four units on single family lots target="_blank") and SB 10 (letting a Council majority allow up to 10 units on single family lots -- with no CEQA public input required on neighborhood impacts and no add'l parking required within half mile of transit.

In a release, Governor Newsom's office said he today (Sept. 16) signed SB 9, "the California Housing Opportunity and More Efficiency (HOME) Act, which the White House this month commended to increase housing supply."

[Newsom office release] The HOME Act facilitates the process for homeowners to build a duplex or split their current residential lot, expanding housing options for people of all incomes that will create more opportunities for homeowners to add units on their existing properties. It includes provisions to prevent the displacement of existing renters and protect historic districts, fire-prone areas and environmental quality.

"I appreciate Governor Newsom’s continued commitment to solving one of the most vexing issues facing our state – increasing the amount of housing and widening access for more Californians," said Senate Pro Tem Atkins (D-San Diego). "SB 9 will open up opportunities for homeowners to help ease our state’s housing shortage, while still protecting tenants from displacement. And it will help our communities welcome new families to the neighborhood and enable more folks to set foot on the path to buying their first home. I’m grateful for the Governor’s partnership, and our shared determination to turn the corner on California’s housing crisis."

SB 10 by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) creates a voluntary process for local governments to access a streamlined zoning process for new multi-unit housing near transit or in urban infill areas, with up to 10 units per parcel. The legislation simplifies the CEQA requirements for upzoning, giving local leaders another tool to voluntarily increase density and provide affordable rental opportunities to more Californians.

"California’s severe housing shortage is badly damaging our state, and we need many approaches to tackle it," said Senator Wiener. "SB 10 provides one important approach: making it dramatically easier and faster for cities to zone for more housing. It shouldn't take five or 10 years for cities to re-zone, and SB 10 gives cities a powerful new tool to get the job done quickly. I want to thank the Governor for signing this essential bill and for continuing to lead on housing." A signing message for SB 10 can be found here

In August 2021, when the bills (pending since Dec. 2020) passed the state legislature without City Council agendized opposition, Eastside Voice president Corliss Lee publicly called on voters in CDs 1 (Zendejas), 3 (Price), 5 (Mungo), 7 (Uranga) and 9 (Richardson) to replace incumbents in 2022 with reform minded Councilmembers more responsive to the public. Any individual Councilmember could have agendized the action "on any Tuesday." None did.

In CD 7, Carlos Ovalle (a co-founder of LB's Reform Coalition and an opponent of SB 9 and 10) has announced a 2022 challenge to incumbent Roberto Uranga. In CD 5, former Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske, who has opposed both bills, is challenging incumbent Stacy Mungo.

Assemblyman Patrick O'Donnll (D, LB-San Pedro) voted "no" on SB 9 and 10, but Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D, NLB-Paramount) and Assemblyman Mike Gipson (D, NLB-Carson) voted for the bills. State Senator Tom Umberg (D, SE LB-west OC), also up for re-election in 2022, voted for both bills.

In the recall election, iconoclastic Republican candidate Larry Elder blamed CEQA for unaffordable housing costs by creating delays and impediments to developers seeking to build new housing...and repeatedly refused to say in an interview with the LATimes and in response to emailed questions to his campaign from LBREPORT.com whether he would sign or veto SB 9 and 10.