Gov. Jerry Brown moves to push affordable housing bills through legislature

Governor Jerry Brown (Getty Images)
Governor Jerry Brown (Getty Images)

Gov. Jerry Brown’s top priority? Pushing a series of housing bills through the state legislature in August, he announced this week.

Whether the plan will pass is not yet known. The bills would create a new state funding source for low-income developments, introduce a bond measure to subsidize low-income projects and ease regulations for building homes, the Los Angeles Times reported. Brown, Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon are backing the legislation.

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While the details are scarce, Assemblyman Rob Bonta said conversations about the package have focused on four parts:

  •  Senate Bill 2, which would charge a $75 fee on real estate transactions to raise $250 million a year for low-income developments
  • Senate Bill 3, which would place a $3 billion housing bond on the 2018 state ballot
  • Senate Bill 35, which would force cities that haven’t met state goals for home building to ease development regulations
  • Placing a larger share of funds raised by cap-and-trade auctions, where businesses pay to pollute, for housing projects

The three bills have passed the Senate and are awaiting a decision in the Assembly, according to the L.A. Times. [LAT] — Subrina Hudson