Newsom approves law to boost affordable housing production.
OAN’s Stephanie Stahl
1:02 PM – Thursday, October 12, 2023
Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a groundbreaking law that allows churches and nonprofit colleges to transform their parking lots into affordable housing spaces.
The law, signed by Newsom (D-Calif.) on Wednesday, aims to rezone unused land owned by nonprofit colleges and religious institutions, such as churches, mosques, and synagogues.
Starting in 2024, these organizations will have the power to bypass the costly and time-consuming local permitting and environmental review processes.
A recent study by the University of California, Berkeley, revealed that religious and higher education campuses in California possess over 170,000 acres of land that meet the criteria outlined in the legislation.
However, some California cities have expressed concerns about the law, fearing that it could undermine their authority over housing development decisions.
This groundbreaking law is set to remain in effect until 2036.
California, known as the Golden State, currently has the highest homeless population in the U.S., with over 161,000 people experiencing homelessness. This crisis is attributed to issues with affordable housing, drug laws, and a lack of mental health resources.
In addition to this new law, Governor Newsom recently approved another housing bill that simplifies regulations for housing projects, resulting in the construction of thousands of homes to address California’s housing crisis.
The original law, which went into effect in 2018 and was scheduled to expire in 2026, allows housing developers to bypass most local permitting processes for multifamily housing projects in cities that fail to meet state-mandated housing goals.
According to Senator Scott Wiener (D-Pa.), the author of the bill, this law has already facilitated the development of over 19,000 homes, with approximately 60% of them designated as affordable housing.
The new law also eliminates the requirement to hire “skilled and trained workers” for certain projects, a demand typically made by influential construction trade unions. Instead, it mandates workers to receive the prevailing wage.
Despite facing opposition from labor groups, Wiener introduced amendments to strengthen labor regulations for larger projects.
The bill initially faced resistance from the state Coastal Commission and environmental organizations due to concerns about streamlined housing development in coastal areas.
However, after collaborating with the commission, Wiener clarified that the legislation would not apply to environmentally sensitive or wildfire-prone areas, leading to the withdrawal of opposition.
Nevertheless, several Southern California cities continue to object to the bill, arguing that it erodes local control.
On the same day as signing these two bills, Governor Newsom announced plans to construct 1,200 tiny homes in four California cities as part of ongoing efforts to address homelessness.
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What concerns have been raised by some California cities regarding this law’s potential impact on housing development decisions?
Governor Gavin Newsom of California has signed a groundbreaking law that allows churches and nonprofit colleges to convert their parking lots into affordable housing spaces. This law, signed on Wednesday, aims to rezone unused land owned by nonprofit colleges and religious institutions, such as churches, mosques, and synagogues.
Starting in 2024, these organizations will have the power to bypass the costly and time-consuming local permitting and environmental review processes. A recent study conducted by the University of California, Berkeley, revealed that religious and higher education campuses in California possess over 170,000 acres of land that meet the criteria outlined in the legislation.
However, some California cities have expressed concerns about the law, fearing that it could undermine their authority over housing development decisions. Despite these concerns, the law is set to remain in effect until 2036.
California is currently known as the Golden State but also faces the challenge of having the highest homeless population in the U.S., with over 161,000 people experiencing homelessness. This crisis is attributed to issues with affordable housing, drug laws, and a lack of mental health resources.
In addition to this new law, Governor Newsom recently approved another housing bill that simplifies regulations for housing projects, resulting in the construction of thousands of homes to address California’s housing crisis. The original law, which went into effect in 2018 and was scheduled to expire in 2026, allows housing developers to bypass most local permitting processes for multifamily housing projects in cities that fail to meet state-mandated housing goals.
According to Senator Scott Wiener, the author of the bill, this law has already facilitated the development of over 19,000 homes, with approximately 60% of them designated as affordable housing. The new law also eliminates the requirement to hire “skilled and trained workers” for certain projects, instead mandating workers to receive the prevailing wage.
Despite facing opposition from labor groups, Wiener introduced amendments to strengthen labor regulations for larger projects. The bill initially faced resistance from the state Coastal Commission and environmental organizations due to concerns about streamlined housing development in coastal areas. However, after collaborating with the commission, Wiener clarified that the legislation would not apply to environmentally sensitive or wildfire-prone areas, leading to the withdrawal of opposition.
Nevertheless, several Southern California cities continue to object to the bill, arguing that it erodes local control. It remains to be seen how this new legislation will impact California’s housing crisis and the homeless population.
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