Gov. Newsom signed SB 9 and SB 10: Critics concerned NO mention of affordable housing

Excerpts from Livable California and United Neighbors.

Gov. Gavin Newsom this week signed SB 8, SB 9 and SB 10, making 2021 the fourth consecutive year in which California legislators increased developer power over cities and zoning, and provided far too little money to build low-income housing.

Read our list of Eight Worst Things About SB 9 here.

This policy crisis in Sacramento, where electeds have largely abandoned subsidized housing and embraced trickle-down theory that has failed globally:

• Upzoning, blaming cities, and buttoning up the wallet in Sacramento.

• Canada and others drank the Kool Aid before California. Why their disasters are ours.

• Can we battle a market-rate vision that underfunds housing for the working poor and brands homeowners as the problem?

• Possible solutions moving forward.

Depressed yet? Don’t be! In a democracy, the healthiest thing to do is push back! Please donate to Livable California so we can continue this effort that will impact our lives for decades. 

What about the other bad bills?

SB 478: Opposed by the state Dept. of Finance for good reason, SB 478 punishes the few cities who use “FAR” to preserve big lots with yards in multi-family projects. (FAR is a ratio of building size to property size). Yard-hating Scott Wiener wrote SB 478, which punishes far more than those few cities. What a surprise.

Note on AB 1401: It bans parking in most new buildings ½ mile from transit. AB 1401 died, for this year, in Senate Appropriations.

A final kindly reminder: We’re up against major developer, finance and tech money. Their deep pockets get deeper when state laws incentivize dense market-rate housing, a hot asset. Please go to our donation page here and help.  We thank you very much!