Call for Action: NOW is time to express OPPOSITION to SB 827
If you are so inclined, a sample opposition letter and contact information of legislators is below this post.
Council Votes to Oppose the CA Transit Bill, SB 827, that Councilmember Koretz calls “Insanity”
The Los Angeles City Council voted 13-0 to oppose Senate Bill 827, which would loosen or potentially eliminate restrictions on height, density, parking and design for residential projects near bus and rail stops. The resolution was introduced by Councilmembers David Ryu and Herb Wesson.
Councilmember Koretz rose to call the bill "pure insanity" explaining that while there is clearly a need for affordable housing, this bill would accomplish none of those objectives but could instead decimate existing, historic, residential neighborhoods and displace renters.
Last month, Councilmember Koretz traveled up to Sacramento and met with Senator Scott Wiener to express his grave concern about the deleterious effects of Wiener's myopic bill. The Councilmember was also in Sacramento to testify in Committee against another Wiener bill, SB 905, that would allow six cities to decide whether to extend alcohol sales to 4am. The Councilmember believes it would dramatically increase the number of alcohol related tragedies for Californians even in areas where alcohol sales stop at 2AM but drivers traverse their regions for later alcohol sales.
Councilmember Koretz and several of his colleagues have made pleas to Angelenos to contact your State legislators to express concern.
MORE INFORMATION:
L.A. City Council Unanimously Opposes SB 827 – We Must Save L.A. from WienerWorld
The Los Angeles City Council denounced and unanimously opposed Senate Bill 827, a bizarre law that could demolish up to 50% of Los Angeles and 96% of San Francisco — to build luxury apartment towers.
City Council members Paul Koretz, David Ryu, Paul Krekorian and Mike Bonin spoke effectively against the scorched-earth plan by state Sen. Scott Wiener, which was discovered ghost-written by real estate interests.
Paul Koretz: “Utterly insane, the worst bill I have seen in the history of California.” David Ryu: “SB 827 means massive displacement, a housing program for the privileged few.” Mike Bonin: “This is a bad bill. A bad bill.” Paul Krekorian: “Serious legislative over-reach.”
During his earlier years as a San Francisco city politician, now-state Sen. Wiener waged a failed war to overrun treasured historic areas with luxury towers, arguing that homes, affordable apartments, yards and green belts “hog” the land where market-rate towers should go. The bitter Wiener is now pushing his agenda on any California city that has regular bus routes.
L.A. Council President Herb Wesson and Ryu put today’s NO vote quickly before the City Council, even as some L.A. legislators such as Holly Mitchell and Laura Friedman appear to be thinking of backing Wiener.
Jill Stewart, Executive Director of Coalition to Preserve LA, which joined 36 social justice and civic groups in opposing SB 827, said, “David Ryu, Paul Koretz and Herb Wesson fought to protect L.A. from mass displacement. Mitch O’Farrell and Gil Cedillo went along with them, but unhappily.”
Cedillo and O’Farrell complained today that L.A. residents have too much power to use the California Environmental Quality Act — or CEQA, the state’s pre-eminent environmental protection law — to slow down projects. O’Farrell and Cedillo appeared to be ignorant of Berkeley Law’s groundbreaking study, “Getting It Right,” which exonerates CEQA as the culprit in slow housing production.
Even as O’Farrell and Cedillo attacked CEQA at City Hall today, a press release on Berkeley's “Getting It Right” study wound through the crowd — and audience members hissed at O’Farrell and Cedillo.
Link here to the CA Legislative website on the proposed Bill.
Link to a summary presentation of SB 824 by Coalition to Preserve LA
Preserve LA mapping tool to show impact
Interactive map: What would SB 827 really look like?
Download Sample Opposition Letter (can be customized for email)
Download Contact List of State Senators and contact information