Although Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic legislative leaders have reached agreement on three key bills that seek to reduce California’s high housing costs, they’re still working to flesh out the rest of the package.
The biggest sticking point is an issue called “inclusionary housing,” when a city or county requires a developer to build a set percentage of affordable housing units as part of a larger project.
More than 100 local governments have inclusionary ordinances. But a 2009 state appeals court ruling exempted rental units.
So as part of an overall package of housing bills, Democratic lawmakers want to overturn that exemption. Two identical bills are under consideration in the Legislature, AB 1505 and SB 277.
“I think it’s a really big part of the overall equation,“ Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) told reporters outside the Capitol Wednesday. “I’m not sure that we can really hope to solve the crisis long-term if we don’t get that piece done.”
“I would like to still include that,“ said Senate President pro Tem Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles). “We’re still talking with the governor about that. I think it is important.“
But the governor vetoed a similar bill a few years back.
View Article