Newsom signs slew of bills to spur homebuilding across state

Homebuilding could rise in California, with new laws signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to allow streamlined apartment approvals and housing built on church and college parking lots.

Newsom signed more than 50 bills meant to boost the state’s housing supply and protect tenants from evictions, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

The bills, backed by both labor and housing advocates, slice through opposition from cities and counties that will lose control over local approvals. 

“It’s simple math — California needs to build more housing and ensure the housing we have is affordable,” Newsom said in a statement. “These 56 bills build on that work, supporting tenants and ensuring cities are held accountable to plan for and permit their fair share of housing.”

The governor has bucked local governments which, despite years of legislation from Sacramento, continue to erect roadblocks even though California lags behind its housing production goals.

Newsom has ramped up his fight against “not in my backyard” politics by directing billions toward affordable housing. 

He has also worked with the attorney general to bring cities and counties into compliance with state housing laws.

Two bills authored by state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, SB 4 and SB 423, could increase home building across the state.

SB 4 rezones land owned by religious organizations and nonprofit colleges to allow for affordable housing. Dubbed YIGBY, or “Yes in God’s Backyard,” it was the bill’s third go-around in Sacramento. According to one study, 171,000 acres of land is now eligible.

SB 423 extends a law by a decade that allows developers of multifamily housing to skirt lengthy housing approvals in cities falling behind on state-mandated housing goals. It also allows developers to build in coastal zones. 

The original law, SB 35, has led to the approval of more than 18,000 new homes since it was passed in 2017, according to a recent study by the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley. The law was set to end in 2026.

Another new law, by Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, would allow homeowners to sell the granny flat in their backyard.

Construction of such accessory dwelling units has boomed since state laws were passed in 2016 and 2017 to streamline permitting. Nearly one in five new homes now built in the state are ADUs, according to the Department of Housing & Community Development.

“With the governor’s signature on my bills, ADUs can continue to build on the success of our backyard revolution,” Ting said in a statement. “Not only will there be more rental units, but this will also open the door to affordable homeownership for many.” 

The governor also signed AB 12, which limits landlords from taking more than a month’s rent for security deposits. The law goes into effect in June. It was sponsored by Matt Haney, D-San Francisco.

— Dana Bartholomew

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