Housing Package Aims to Streamline Construction, Promote Affordable Homes, and Protect Tenants
By Dolores Quintana
Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a comprehensive housing package consisting of 56 bills aimed at addressing California’s long-standing housing crisis. These measures aim to streamline housing construction, support the development of affordable homes, and protect tenants in the state.
Since assuming office, Governor Newsom and the Legislature have committed $30 billion to affordable housing production and implemented multiple California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) reforms. This has included the creation of the Housing Accountability Unit within the California Department of Housing and Community Development, ensuring local communities meet their housing obligations. As a result of these efforts, California has seen a 15-year high in housing starts.
Governor Newsom stated, “It’s simple math – California needs to build more housing and ensure the housing we have is affordable. In partnership with the Legislature, we have advanced billions of dollars to that end. 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.”
Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) added, “California desperately needs to ramp up housing production, and the Governor’s actions today help put us on a path to achieve that goal. The era of saying no to housing is coming to an end. We’ve been planting seeds for years to get California to a brighter housing future, and today, we’re continuing strongly down that path.”
The Governor has also signed SB 4, known as the “Yes In God’s Backyard (YIGBY)” bill by Senator Wiener, allowing religious institutions and higher education institutions to develop housing projects on their property “by right.” Another significant bill is SB 423, extending the sunset on SB 35, requiring local governments failing to meet state housing planning goals to streamline affordable housing projects.
The complete list of bills signed by the Governor is available below:
- AB 12 by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) – Tenancy: security deposits.
- AB 84 by Assemblymember Christopher Ward (D-San Diego) – Property tax: welfare exemption: affordable housing.
- AB 281 by Assemblymember Tim Grayson (D-Contra Costa) – Planning and zoning: housing: post entitlement phase permits.
- AB 318 by Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) – Mobilehome Residency Law Protection Act.
- AB 319 by Assemblymember Damon Connolly (D-San Rafael) – Mobilehome Parks Act: inspectors: conflict of interest: enforcement actions: sunset.
- AB 323 by Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) – Density Bonus Law: purchase of density bonus units by nonprofit housing organizations: civil actions.
- AB 346 by Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Fullerton) – Income tax credits: low-income housing: California Debt Limit Allocation Committee rulemaking.
- AB 434 by Assemblymember Tim Grayson (D-Contra Costa) – Housing element: notice of violation.
- AB 480 by Assemblymember Philip Ting (D-San Francisco) – Surplus land.
- AB 516 by Assemblymember James Ramos (D-San Bernardino) – Mitigation Fee Act: fees for improvements: reports and audits.
- AB 519 by Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Los Angeles) – Affordable Housing Finance Workgroup: affordable housing: consolidated application and coordinated review process. A signing message can be found here.
- AB 529 by Assemblymembers Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino)- Adaptive reuse projects.
- AB 548 by Assemblymember Tasha Boerner (D-San Diego) – State Housing Law: inspection.
- AB 572 by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) – Common interest developments: imposition of assessments.
- AB 671 by Assemblymember Christopher Ward (D-San Diego) – CalHome Program: accessory dwelling units.
- AB 812 by Assemblymember Tasha Boerner (D-San Diego) – Housing development approvals: reserving affordable units in or near a cultural district for artists. A signing message can be found here.
- AB 821 by Assemblymember Tim Grayson (D-Contra Costa) – Planning and zoning: general plan: zoning ordinance: conflicts.
- AB 894 by Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Los Angeles) – Parking requirements: shared parking.
- AB 911 by Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Los Angeles) – Unlawfully restrictive covenants: affordable housing.
- AB 976 by Assemblymember Philip Ting (D-San Francisco) – Accessory dwelling units: owner-occupancy requirements.
- AB 1033 by Assemblymember Philip Ting (D-San Francisco) – Accessory dwelling units: local ordinances: separate sale or conveyance.
- AB 1114 by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) – Planning and zoning: housing development projects: post entitlement phase permits.
- AB 1218 by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal (D-Los Angeles) – Development projects: demolition of residential dwelling units.
- AB 1287 by Assemblymember David Alvarez (D-San Diego) – Density Bonus Law: maximum allowable residential density: additional density bonus and incentives or concessions.
- AB 1308 by Assemblymembers Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Fullerton)- Planning and Zoning Law: single-family residences: parking requirements.
- AB 1317 by Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles) – Unbundled parking.
- AB 1319 by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) – Bay Area Housing Finance Authority: housing revenue.
- AB 1332 by Assemblymember Juan Carrillo (D-Palmdale) – Accessory dwelling units: pre-approved plans.
- AB 1386 by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) – Veterans housing: tenant referrals.
- AB 1449 by Assemblymembers David Alvarez (D-San Diego) – Affordable housing: California Environmental Quality Act: exemption.
- AB 1474 by Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes (D-San Bernardino) – California Statewide Housing Plan.
- AB 1485 by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) – Housing element: enforcement: Attorney General.
- AB 1490 by Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-San Jose) – Affordable housing development projects: adaptive reuse.
- AB 1508 by Assemblymember James Ramos (D-San Bernardino) – Department of Housing and Community Development: California Statewide Housing Plan.
- AB 1528 by Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Los Angeles) – Housing authorities: property taxation.
- AB 1620 by Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Los Angeles) – Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act: permanent disabilities: comparable or smaller units.
- AB 1633 by Assemblymember Philip Ting (D-San Francisco) – Housing Accountability Act: disapprovals: California Environmental Quality Act.
- AB 1734 by Assemblymember Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer Sr. (D-Los Angeles)- Local Government: Surplus Land Act: exemptions.
- AB 1764 by the Committee on Housing and Community Development – Housing omnibus.
- SB 4 by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) – Planning and zoning: housing development: higher education institutions and religious institutions.
- SB 34 by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) – Surplus land disposal: violations: County of Orange.
- SB 82 by Senator Seyarto (R-Murrieta) – Property taxation: disabled veterans’ exemption: eligibility letters.
- SB 229 by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) – Surplus land: disposal of property: violations: public meeting.
- SB 240 by Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa) – Surplus state real property: affordable housing and housing for formerly incarcerated individuals.
- SB 267 by Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton) – Credit history of persons receiving government rent subsidies.
- SB 341 by Senator Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park) – Housing development.
- SB 423 by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) – Land use: streamlined housing approvals: multifamily housing developments.
- SB 439 by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) – Special motions to strike: priority housing development projects.
- SB 482 by Senator Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas) – Multifamily Housing Program: supportive housing: capitalized operating reserves.
- SB 520 by Senator Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta) – Property taxation: homeowners’ exemption.
- SB 593 by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) – Redevelopment: successor agency debt: City and County of San Francisco.
- SB 684 by Senator Anna Caballero (D-Merced) – Land use: streamlined approval processes: development projects of 10 or fewer residential units on urban lots under 5 acres.
- SB 713 by Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) – Planning and zoning: density bonuses: development standard.
- SB 734 by Senator Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) – Property tax: possessory interests.
- SB 747 by Senator Anna Caballero (D-Merced) – Land use: surplus land.
- SB 789 by Senators Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) : Elections: Senate Constitutional Amendment 2 of the 2021–22 Regular Session and Assembly Constitutional Amendment 5 of the 2023–24 Regular Session.
The full text of all of these bills is available on the California State Legislature’s website.
