Newsom Signs Package of Laws to Spur Housing Development

Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a stack of housing bills aimed at boosting housing production and lowering homelessness across California.

The governor put his Hancock on seven of 32 bills intended to increase housing affordability, including streamlining approvals for certain projects and requiring cities to create plans to house their most vulnerable residents, the Los Angeles Times and Pasadena Star-News reported.

“The original sin in this state is affordability,” Newsom said at a news conference. “That is the challenge we are trying to address.”

The new rules focus on the city approval process, rather than private developments or companies. The newly signed laws follow state legislation from previous years that eliminated most single-family zones to allow duplexes, as well as bills to increase construction of backyard granny flats and reduce the ability of local governments to block housing developments.

Newsom said the total housing package includes 32 bills, including seven he signed in front of reporters that tweak existing rules to try to spur more housing.

They include Assembly Bill 2243, introduced by Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland), which expands the older AB 2011 to allow streamlined approvals for projects at regional malls and close to freeways.

Another bill, AB 3093 from Assemblyman Chris Ward (D-San Diego), requires that cities plan for housing for poor families that earn between 15 and 30 percent of area median income.

Officials say the new, lower-income category will help build more housing for homeless people or residents at high risk of losing their homes.

Cities and counties will also face stricter penalties for rejecting housing projects in violation of state law.

Under Senate Bill 1037, introduced by state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), local governments will face civil penalties of up to $50,000 a month for as long as a violation persists. The penalty money will go toward developing affordable housing in the city or county that broke the law.

During the news conference, Newsom said local jurisdictions need to do their job in helping the state reach its goal of building 2.5 million homes by 2030.

The governor took aim at Huntington Beach, Norwalk and Elk Grove for flaunting their state-mandated housing requirements.

In July, a court cited Surf City for breaking a state law by refusing to plan for more housing, and gave it one year to draft a housing plan.

This week, Norwalk extended a moratorium that banned emergency shelters and supportive housing, a day after state housing regulators issued a notice of violation.

“You will soon be able to ask the folks in Huntington Beach if the law I’m about to sign is not impactful,” Newsom told reporters. “They continue to thumb their nose at the state of California, the people of this great state. They continue to lose decision after decision after decision. They abuse the process, they abuse the law.

“And now we will enforce aggressive fines with the law that I will be signing today.”

— Dana Bartholomew