More affordable housing would give more people more choices about where to live.
Misperceptions about proposed land use reforms in Senate Bill 9 — which would make it legal to build duplexes in California — paint an entirely inaccurate picture of developers rushing into the middle- and working-class communities of color to tear down homes and build expensive apartments in their place. On the contrary, the bill is designed to allow people of color to move to exist high-opportunity neighborhoods by making them more affordable and accessible and to enable new generations to stay in existing neighborhoods by creating more affordable new homeownership opportunities. SB 9 helps restore the core of what decades of segregation through bans on housing have taken away: the right to choose where you can live.
Redlining is a California-born and -bred problem. Decades of segregation continue to play out in cities throughout the state. It’s time to build a more inclusive California, one where middle-income families can buy a home that doesn’t cost $750,000 (the state’s median home price); where families can find lower-priced housing in neighborhoods with good schools, convenient transit, and parks; and where people have the option to buy a home in the neighborhood where they grew up.
The argument that allowing for lower-cost homes will force Black families out and lead to gentrification isn’t true. SB 9 would protect renters from displacement by prohibiting the disruption of existing affordable housing, rent-controlled housing or housing recently leased to a tenant. It also would expand opportunities for multigenerational housing by allowing homeowners to build a modest unit on their property so an aging parent or adult child can continue to live there affordably, and the family can continue to pass on financial security and equity in their home. This is particularly important in Black neighborhoods such as southwest Fresno, where I was raised and where my family continues to live. Here, and in the few neighborhoods like it throughout California where Black families were historically allowed to buy property, homes have been passed down to children and grandchildren and families remain close. Maintaining this dynamic is key to preserving neighborhoods that have strong cultural and community ties.
Fresno’s Anti-Displacement Task Force last week released a blueprint to address displacement issues that can serve as a guide for other cities. Among the key recommendations in Here to Stay: a community land trust fiscal contribution to be established on an annual basis to create affordable housing that remains affordable; a mandatory impact area notification system to notify all residents located in areas most likely to be affected by a proposed development project; rent stabilization, conversion restrictions, and an ”affordable in perpetuity” designation to achieve long-term housing stability; eviction right-to-counsel; and the establishment of tax increment financing to pay for implementation of anti-displacement policies and programs.
By creating up to 800,000 new, smaller, lower-cost homes that fit within existing neighborhoods of all types, SB 9 would make it possible for more families to afford to own homes in the neighborhoods they chose (including those where they currently live) and for more, lower- and middle-income families to be able to live in well-resourced neighborhoods. It also would protect current renters from displacement.
By urging legislators to support SB 9, we can simultaneously unlock the door to homeownership for more Californians while respecting and protecting the intrinsic value of established communities of color. All Californians should have an equal chance to seek out the best opportunities for their families and children, as well as an opportunity to build wealth. Let’s not allow misinformation to keep us tied to housing policy that is rooted in and that perpetuates racial inequity and limited opportunity.
SCAG HOUSING UPDATES
All cities and counties are required to adequately plan to meet a broad spectrum of housing needs in updating their general plan housing elements. Each jurisdiction is required to create an annual report on the status and progress in implementing the housing element of its general plan, known as the Annual Progress Report (APR). The APR must be submitted to HCD and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research on or before April 1 of each year. Jurisdictions that have not been submitted should submit APRs for any missing years to avoid ineligibility for funding sources. HCD’s Annual Progress Report Dashboard provides interactive data on jurisdictions’ progress towards their housing goals. For more information regarding APRs, including tools to support APR completion, visit HCD’s website. The Housing Innovation CollaborativeThe Housing Innovation Collaborative (HICo) is a nonprofit housing-focused research and development platform – the online platform is a virtual version of a “housing world’s fair,” showcasing the latest new construction, design, financing, and policy solutions in a series of themed exhibitions. While HICo is based in Los Angeles, their examples and best practices span cities and countries and have broad applicability. HICo’s past work has included creating the largest open-sourced database of rapidly deployable shelter solutions in the world: The Rapid Shelter Showcase. In partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Emergency Management Agency and California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, they have partnered with major cities across the U.S. to showcase how they are ending homelessness with rapid shelter and social impact bonds programs through Project Spotlight. Get Housing Element Insight from the Development Community at ULI-LA’s “Office Hours” As cities are drafting Housing Element updates for 2021-2029, the Los Angeles chapter of the Urban Land Institute (ULI-LA) is offering an opportunity for local government staff to conduct meaningful outreach to the development community around the policy and zoning changes their Housing Elements propose. Join ULI-LA for “office hours” in which city staff can interact with ULI volunteers who have expertise in various aspects of housing development. These sessions are intended to fill a critical gap in public-private sector interaction around housing policy, by allowing cities to receive customized, one-on-one feedback on key issues from expert practitioners in a neutral advisory setting. To participate, please fill out this form and submit your questions for ULI’s expert panel. Topics could include suitable site analysis, development feasibility, upzoning, inclusionary requirements, 100 percent affordable housing, and more.
