ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING,
EVERYBODY. I'M GOING TO WELCOME
YOU TO THE ASSEMBLY HOUSING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
HEARING FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE
12TH. WE HAVE TEN ITEMS ON OUR
AGENDA TODAY, THREE BILLS ON
CONSENT. ITEM NUMBER FOUR, SB
1408, ITEM NUMBER FIVE, SB 1190,
ITEM NUMBER SIX, SB 1443. AND
GIVEN THAT WE ARE SHORT OF A
QUORUM RIGHT NOW, WE ARE GOING
TO BEGIN AS A SUBCOMMITTEE. EACH
BILL CAN HAVE TWO MAIN WITNESSES
IN SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION. EACH
MAIN WITNESS GETS UP TO TWO
MINUTES EACH. PLEASE FEEL FREE
TO SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY
THROUGH THE POSITION PORTAL ON
THE COMMITTEE'S WEBSITE. THIS
WILL BECOME PART OF OUR OFFICIAL
RECORD OF THE BILL. THIS HEARING
ROOM WILL BE OPEN FOR ATTENDANCE
OF THIS HEARING THIS MORNING. WE
ARE IN ROOM FOR 37 AT THE
CAPITOL. ALL ARE ENCOURAGED TO
WATCH THE HEARING FROM ITS LIVE
STREAM ON THE ASSEMBLY'S
WEBSITE. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU
ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND
UNDERSTANDING. WITH THAT, WE
HAVE OUR FIRST BILL. SENATOR
WAHAB, HERE TO PRESENT ITEM
NUMBER ONE, THAT IS SB 1357.
WHEN YOU ARE COMFORTABLE, YOU
MAY BEGIN PRESENTATION. THANK
YOU. ALL RIGHT.
I PUT MONEY ON YOU GUYS. ALL
RIGHT. I ALSO WANT TO SAY YOUR
SCRIPT WAS REALLY GOOD. I'M
GOING TO COPY IT, BUT. ALL RIGHT
. CHAIR, COLLEAGUES AND MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC, SB 1356 1357.
SORRY. REQUIRES THE HOUSING
AUTHORITY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY,
ALSO KNOWN AS HAKKA, TO INCREASE
TRANSPARENCY REGARDING THEIR
PROGRAMING AND IMPROVE THE
FUNCTION OF THEIR WEBSITE FOR
CONSUMERS. IN 2023, ABC OWNED
TELEVISION STATIONS ANALYZED
DATA FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT,
WHICH FOUND HOUSEHOLD ADS
WAITING YEARS FOR HOUSING
ASSISTANCE. IT WAS NOTED THAT
ALAMEDA COUNTY, QUOTE, HAS
INSUFFICIENT OR UNRELIABLE
WAITLIST TIME DATA. END QUOTE.
ADDITIONALLY, HAKA'S WEBSITE, IN
COMPARISON TO OTHER COUNTY LEVEL
HOUSING AUTHORITIES, DOES NOT
PRESENT THE INFORMATION THEY DO
HAVE IN AN EASY TO NAVIGATE
MANNER, NOR DOES THE WEBSITE
HAVE ANY DATA OR METRICS ON
HAKKAS PROGRAMS. FINALLY WE HAVE
AN OPEN DIALOG WITH HAKKA TO
ENSURE THEY ARE ABLE TO COMPLY
WITH THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
SO WE'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATION
WITH THEM, AND SB 1357 SIMPLY
REQUIRES HAKKA TO EVALUATE THEIR
WEBSITE FOR CONSUMER USABILITY
AND DEVELOP AN ANNUAL REPORT OF
DATA AND METRICS THAT SPEAK TO
THE PROGRAMS OFFERED BY HAKKA,
HOPEFULLY TRYING TO ENSURE THAT
THIS YOU KNOW, WE FOCUS ON DATA
TRANSPARENCY, ACCESSIBILITY AND
GOOD GOVERNANCE. BUT IN THE
FUTURE, IF THERE ARE MORE NEEDS
THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY IDENTIFY
THEM. I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN
AYE VOTE. GREAT. THANK YOU. DO
YOU HAVE ANY PRIMARY WITNESSES
IN SUPPORT OF THIS BILL? NONE.
TODAY ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC HERE IN SUPPORT OF SB
1357? OKAY. SEEING NONE, ANY
PRIMARY OPPOSITIONS AND
WITNESSES WISHING TO GIVE
TESTIMONY AND SEEING NONE, ANY
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO
PROVIDE AN OPPOSITION REMARK.
ALL RIGHT. BRINGING BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE, IS THERE ANY MEMBER
COMMENT? OKAY. SEEING NONE,
SENATOR WAHAB, I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR BRINGING THIS BILL
FORWARD. OF COURSE, WE ALL WANT
TO BE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT
WITH OUR LOCAL HOUSING AGENCIES
AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT
THEY HAVE. THE TRANSPARENCY
MEASURES ARE CRITICAL,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO
HOUSING CHOICE. VOUCHERS IS
LIMITED AS THEY ARE, YOU KNOW,
WAIT TIMES ARE DIFFICULT. AND I
KNOW A LOT OF OUR HOUSING
AUTHORITIES ARE COMPRESSED WITH
A LOT OF CHALLENGES. AND I MY
ONLY QUESTION IS, IS THERE
SOMETHING THAT YOU SEE AS UNIQUE
TO THE COUNTY OF ALAMEDA AND
THEIR HOUSING AUTHORITY THAT
REALLY REQUIRES A SPECIAL
ATTENTION THROUGH THIS BILL, I
SEE THIS ACTUALLY AS SOMETHING
THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE
SYSTEMIC ACROSS A LOT OF HOUSING
AUTHORITIES, SO DIDN'T WANT TO
SEE IF YOU WANTED TO ELABORATE A
LITTLE FURTHER ON THE SPECIAL
NEED HERE. DEFINITELY, SO I
REPRESENT TWO COUNTIES, THE
COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY AND
THE COUNTY OF ALAMEDA, AND BOTH
OF THEM OPERATE VERY DIFFERENTLY
FROM A SOCIOECONOMIC STANDPOINT.
THERE ARE ALSO VERY DIFFERENT,
SANTA CLARA COUNTY IS OBVIOUSLY
A LITTLE BIT MORE AFFLUENT, AND
THEIR PROGRAMING, FOR EXAMPLE,
THEY THEY HAVE EVERY SINGLE
HOUSING PROGRAM THAT THEY HAVE
FUNNELS INTO ONE PARTICULAR,
AGENCY. IT'S VERY CLEAR TO THE
PUBLIC WHAT IS AVAILABLE. DATA
IS ONLINE. IT'S VERY
TRANSPARENT. THEY ALSO REALLY
SERVE THE NEEDS OF THEIR
INCREDIBLY DIVERSE POPULATION,
DOES NOT MATTER WHAT LANGUAGE
YOU SPEAK OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THEY ALSO HAVE, IN PERSON
COMMUNICATION AND MUCH MORE
BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY IS ONLINE
AND SO FORTH. ALAMEDA COUNTY,
AND I'M A RESIDENT OF ALAMEDA
COUNTY, HAS BEEN EXTREMELY POOR
IN THEIR HOUSING OPERATIONS AS A
WHOLE. SO EVERY SINGLE PROGRAM
HAS THEIR OWN UNIQUE WEBSITE.
NOBODY KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT IS THE
UMBRELLA PACKAGE OF WHEN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT HOUSING, WHAT ARE
ALL THE LITTLE PRONGS UNDERNEATH
IT? THERE IS A LACK OF
TRANSPARENCY AND DATA IN REGARDS
TO, OKAY, HOW MANY UNITS ARE
AVAILABLE TOTAL, HOW MANY UNITS
ARE VACANT? HOW MANY UNITS ARE
ABOUT TO COME ONLINE? HOW LONG
IS THE AVERAGE THAT YOU HAVE TO
WAIT? IN FACT, THOSE INDIVIDUALS
THAT ARE WAITING TO SEEK HOUSING
AND ARE ON THE HOUSING WAITING
LIST WILL GET, THE WAY THAT
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN OPERATING IS
THEY WILL GET ON A HOUSING
WAITING LIST IN A DIFFERENT
COUNTY TO THEN GET APPROVED AND
THEN TRY TO MOVE OVER THEIR
VOUCHER IN ALAMEDA. SO THEY ARE
TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO
CIRCUMVENT THE SYSTEM, BUT THAT
IS BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS
INCREDIBLY POOR, ESPECIALLY
COMMUNITIES LIKE MINE THAT ARE
LARGELY AFGHAN IMMIGRANT POOR,
THEY HAVE BEEN, ON THESE WAITING
LISTS FOR YEARS AND YEARS. THE
HAKKA HEADQUARTERS IS ACTUALLY
STATIONED IN MY CITY OF HAYWARD.
AND WHEN YOU GO THERE, THERE'S
NOBODY THERE, RIGHT? THEY HAVE A
SIGN ON THE DOOR. AND I'VE
PERSONALLY SEEN THIS. SO HOUSING
IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
IF THERE'S A LACK OF
TRANSPARENCY, LACK OF
ACCOUNTABILITY, WE ARE NOT ABLE
TO EVEN IMPROVE IT. AND I WILL
SAY THAT THE BOARD THAT MAKES UP
HAKKA, MY PERSONAL OPINION ALSO,
THEY ARE MEMBERS OF DIFFERENT
CITIES IN THE COUNTY. HALF OF
THEM, I'M GOING TO SAY EVEN
MAJORITY OF THEM ARE NOT
RENTERS, ARE NOT LOWER INCOME
AND DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS
OF THE POPULATION THAT WE ARE
TRYING TO ACTUALLY SERVE THROUGH
HAKKA. SO I THINK THAT BOARD
GOVERNANCE NEEDS TO BE MORE
TRANSPARENT. I THINK THAT, YOU
KNOW, DATA AND FUNDING NEEDS TO
BE TRANSPARENT, AND
ACCOUNTABILITY IS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT. SO THEY'VE PASSED A
BOND MEASURE AND YET WE DON'T
SEE THE MONEY GOING OUT TO THE
PEOPLE. SO I THINK THAT THERE'S
A LOT OF PROBLEMS, BUT I'M GOING
TO STICK TO THIS PARTICULAR BILL
FOR THE TIME BEING. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. AND I APPRECIATE, YOU
KNOW, THE, EDUCATION ABOUT THE
SPECIAL NATURE HERE FOR THAT,
WITH THAT, I, WE BELIEVE WE HAVE
A QUORUM. SO I'M GOING TO ASK
MADAM SECRETARY TO CALL THE ROLL
WORN, I HEAR WARD HERE.
PATTERSON HERE. HARRISON HERE.
GRAYSON GRAYSON HERE. COLLURA.
LEE. QUIRK-SILVA HERE.
QUIRK-SILVA HERE. REYES. REYES
HERE. SANCHEZ HANEY HERE. HANEY,
HERE. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A
QUORUM, WITH THAT, THIS ENJOYS A
DUE PASS RECOMMENDATION. THE
MOTION BY MISS REYES AND SECOND,
BY MR. GRAYSON. MADAM SECRETARY,
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ACTION, DO
PASS TO THE COMMITTEE AND
APPROPRIATIONS. WARD A, WARD I
PATTERSON. HARRISON. I GRAYSON.
I GRAYSON I'M SO SORRY. GRAYSON
I I'M SO SORRY. SHE SHE
FORECASTED. CHOLERA LEE.
QUIRK-SILVA QUIRK-SILVA I REYES
REYES. I SANCHEZ. HANEY I HANEY
I456. AT THE MOMENT, WE HAVE SIX
VOTES. THAT BILL IS OUT. WE WILL
HOLD THE ROLL OPEN FOR ABSENT
MEMBERS. THANK YOU. THIS TIME WE
WILL CALL ANY SENATOR ON OUR
AGENDA TODAY WISHING TO PRESENT.
WE HAVE AN OPENING. HAPPY TO
ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE
CONSENT CALENDAR BY MR. GRAYSON.
SECOND BY MISS REYES, MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ITEM NUMBER FOUR. ITEM NUMBER
FOUR, SB 1408, TO PASS TO
CONSENT. ITEM NUMBER FIVE, SB
1190, DO PASS THE COMMITTEE ON
JUDICIARY, ITEM NUMBER SIX, SB
1443, TO PASS THE COMMITTEE ON
HUMAN SERVICES. WORD A WORD, A
PERSON, A PERSON, A GRAYSON
GRAYSON I COLLURA LEE
QUIRK-SILVA QUIRK-SILVA I REYES
REYES I SANCHEZ HANEY. HANEY I
CONSENT CALENDAR IS OUT SIX
ZERO. WE'LL HOLD THE ROLL OPEN
FOR ABSENT MEMBERS.
THIS IS.
SOMETHING TEXTED ME. SENATORS
TEXTED ME. PUTS PRESSURE ON IT.
YEAH. YES. CAN I PRAY? NO VOTE
ON ALL OF THEM? COLLEAGUES.
YES. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE THE TEN
MINUTE RULE IN COLLEGE? YES YEAH
.
FOR THE FIRST TIME. SCOTT SAYS
HE'S ONLY STUDENT.
I UNDERSTAND.
OKAY, THEN.
SO.
NOW. THANKS.
AND. YEAH YEAH. YEAH SO.
OH YEAH. YEAH. IT WAS VERY. YOU
DON'T KNOW? YEAH, I KNOW. LATER.
YOU KNOW. YOU'RE DOING YOUR
BEST. YEAH. MAYBE I DON'T KNOW
WHY. YEAH. YEAH. ANOTHER ONE.
RIGHT? I KNOW. LIKE PLASTIC
WATER BOTTLE. I HAVE.
THANK YOU. NEXT WE WILL MOVE TO
ITEM NUMBER TWO BY MISTER
SENATOR WIENER, THIS IS SB 1037.
WHEN YOU ARE COMFORTABLE, YOU
MAY BEGIN TO PRESENT YOUR BILL.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
COLLEAGUES, I'M HERE TODAY TO
PRESENT SB 1037, WHICH IS
SPONSORED BY THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL, THE LEGISLATURE, AS WE
ARE, YOU ARE KEENLY AWARE, WE'VE
TAKEN SIGNIFICANT STEPS IN
RECENT YEARS TO SPUR HOUSING
PRODUCTION IN CALIFORNIA,
INCLUDING, REQUIRING CITIES TO
ZONE FOR MORE, NEW HOMES UNDER
THEIR UNDER OUR REVAMPED
APPROACH TO THE HOUSING ELEMENT,
AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF SERIES OF
LAWS TO STREAMLINE AND EXPEDITE,
PERMIT APPROVALS, TOGETHER,
THESE LAWS ARE EXTREMELY
IMPACTFUL, ALTHOUGH MANY CITIES
ARE EARNESTLY WORKING TO COMPLY
WITH STATE HOUSING LAW, I WANT
TO BE CLEAR THIS IS NOT ABOUT
DEMONIZING CITIES. A LARGE
MAJORITY OF CITIES ARE
ABSOLUTELY, TRYING HARD TO
COMPLY, TO FOLLOW THE LAW AND
ARE WORKING WITH THE STATE TO
COME INTO COMPLIANCE AND ARE
ACTING IN EXTREMELY GOOD FAITH.
THERE IS A MINORITY OF CITIES,
THAT ARE NOT THERE ARE CITIES
THAT ARE BASICALLY REFUSING TO
ADOPT A COMPLIANT HOUSING
ELEMENT, AND THERE ARE CITIES
THAT REFUSE TO ISSUE PERMITS
CGRTS FOR HOUSING PROJECTS THAT
THEY ARE MANDATED UNDER STATE
LAW TO ISSUE THAT THEY HAVE NO
DISCRETION TO DENY, THE GOVERNOR
AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAVE
REALLY PRIORITIZED HOUSING
ENFORCEMENT. UNFORTUNATELY,
THERE'S A MAJOR GAP IN HOUSING
ENFORCEMENT LAW. AND
SPECIFICALLY, THAT IS IF A CITY
IN ABSOLUTE BAD FAITH REFUSES TO
FOLLOW THE STATE HOUSING LAW.
AND IT GETS TO THE EXTREME POINT
THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FILES
A LAWSUIT, WHICH DOESN'T HAPPEN
THAT OFTEN, THESE ARE EXTREME
CASES. AND THEN IT GOES ALL THE
WAY THROUGH THE LITIGATION, NOT
RESOLVING IT IN THE MIDDLE OF
LITIGATION ALL THE WAY THROUGH
TO THE POINT WHERE A JUDGE
ISSUES A FORMAL COURT JUDGMENT
AGAINST THAT CITY. SO THESE ARE
WE'RE TALKING EXTREME CASES. AND
THE CITY HAS ACTED ARBITRARILY,
FORCED A LAWSUIT AND WENT ALL
THE WAY TO JUDGMENT TODAY, THAT
CITY, THAT CITY STILL HAS
MULTIPLE MONTHS AFTER THE ENTRY
OF JUDGMENT TO COME INTO
COMPLIANCE AND AVOID ANY
PENALTIES WHATSOEVER. THAT IS
ABSOLUTELY ABSURD, AND WHAT THIS
BILL WILL DO IS THAT IF YOU GET
TO THAT EXTREME POINT OF A
LAWSUIT AND ENTRY OF JUDGMENT
AGAINST THE CITY, IT WILL
REQUIRE ASSESSMENT OF PENALTIES.
THERE IS A RANGE OF PENALTIES
BETWEEN 10 AND $50,000 A MONTH
TO THE COURT CAN LOOK AT THE
FACTS, IN ADDITION, THESE FEES
WILL BE HELD IN TRUST FOR THAT
CITY TO BUILD AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. IT'S NOT JUST GOING
INTO THE GENERAL FUND, AND I
WANT TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS NOT
ABOUT GOOD, GOOD FAITH, HONEST
MISTAKES BY CITIES THAT'S NEVER
GOING TO RESULT IN A LAWSUIT.
AND IF IT HAPPENS TO THE CITY,
WOULD HAVE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO
COME INTO COMPLIANCE AND CORRECT
THINGS DURING THE LITIGATION.
THIS IS ABOUT THE EXTREME CASES,
THERE NEED TO BE CONSEQUENCES
FOR NOT FOLLOWING STATE LAW. AND
WHEN YOU'RE DOING SO IN BAD
FAITH. AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR YOUR AYE VOTE, WHICH WITH ME
TODAY IS JANICE SANFORD, WHO IS
A LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATE FOR THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL, AND THEN
FRANCESC MARTI, SENIOR DIRECTOR
OF STRATEGY AND GOVERNMENT
AFFAIRS FOR CALIFORNIA. YIMBY
GOOD MORNING, MISTER CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. I'M JANICE
STANFORD, LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATE
IN THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL. AND I HAVE WITH ME ALEX
FISH, WHO'S AVAILABLE TO ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU, ON BEHALF OF ATTORNEY
GENERAL ROB BONTA, I WANT TO
START BY THANKING SENATOR WIENER
FOR AUTHORING THIS IMPORTANT
BILL, WHICH WE'RE PROUD TO
SPONSOR, AS YOU KNOW, CALIFORNIA
IS FACING A SEVERE HOUSING
SHORTAGE AND AFFORDABILITY
CRISIS. THE LEGISLATURE HAS
PASSED STRONG LAWS IN RECENT
YEARS TO ADDRESS THIS CRISIS,
INCLUDING OVER A DOZEN
MINISTERIAL APPROVAL LAWS. BUT
THOSE LAWS WILL ONLY MOVE THE
NEEDLE TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING
CRISIS IF THEY'RE FOLLOWED.
ATTORNEY GENERAL ROB BONTA HAS
MADE ENFORCEMENT OF HOUSING LAWS
A TOP PRIORITY, AND HAS TAKEN
ACTION AGAINST SOME OF THE MOST
EGREGIOUS VIOLATORS, BUT
REMEDIES AVAILABLE UNDER
EXISTING LAW ARE NOT EFFECTIVELY
DETERRING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM
VIOLATING THESE LAWS. IN THE
FIRST PLACE. DESPITE THE
MINISTERIAL APPROVAL LAWS ON THE
BOOKS, SEVERAL CITIES HAVE BEEN
RELUCTANT TO PROCESS QUALIFYING
APPLICATIONS MINISTERIALLY,
INSTEAD IMPOSING LOCAL
REQUIREMENTS AND OTHER CREATIVE
POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT
DEVIATE FROM THE CLEAR,
OBJECTIVE STANDARDS THAT THE
LEGISLATURE HAS ESTABLISHED.
THIS FRUSTRATES THE PURPOSE OF
THE MINISTERIAL APPROVAL LAWS,
WHICH IS TO STREAMLINE APPROVALS
AND BUILD HOUSING QUICKLY. AND
WHILE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE
TASKED WITH PLANNING TO MEET THE
HOUSING NEEDS OF THEIR
COMMUNITIES, THERE ARE NEARLY
190 JURISDICTIONS CURRENTLY OUT
OF COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSING
ELEMENT LAW. THIS NONCOMPLIANCE
CONSUMES PUBLIC RESOURCES, AS
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL COULD DO
MORE TO ADVANCE OTHER IMPORTANT
STATE HOUSING PRIORITIES IF
EVERY JURISDICTION COMPLIED
PROMPTLY WITH A SIMPLE BLACK AND
WHITE DEADLINE TO ADDRESS THESE
RAMPANT COMPLIANCE ISSUES, LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS MUST BE DETERRED
FROM VIOLATING THE LAW.
EFFECTIVE MONETARY PENALTIES
WILL SERVE AS A DETERRENT AND
WILL STRENGTHEN THE STATE'S
HAND. WHEN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
WARNS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT
THEY'RE OUT OF COMPLIANCE, AND
FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT
REFUSE TO COMPLY, WHO, YOU KNOW,
SHIRK THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES TO
MEET THEIR FAIR SHARE OF
REGIONAL AND STATE, STATEWIDE
HOUSING NEEDS. SB 1037 WOULD
ALLOW THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO
HOLD THEM QUICKLY TO ACCOUNT. WE
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR. I
VOTE. CHAIR WARD, DISTINGUISHED
MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY, HOUSING
COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS FRANCESCA
MARTIN, AND I REPRESENT,
CALIFORNIA YIMBY, AN
ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO
ENSURING ABUNDANT, SECURE AND
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR ALL
CALIFORNIANS. I'M HERE TO
EXPRESS OUR STRONG SUPPORT FOR
SB 1037, AUTHORED BY SENATOR
WIENER, WHICH AIMS TO STRENGTHEN
THE ENFORCEMENT OF CALIFORNIA'S
CRITICAL HOUSING LAWS. OUR
HOUSING LAWS PASSED BY THE
LEGISLATURE IN RECENT YEARS, ARE
ESSENTIAL TOOLS IN ADDRESSING
OUR STATE'S SEVERE HOUSING
SHORTAGE AND AFFORDABILITY
CRISIS. THESE LAWS ARE DESIGNED
TO STREAMLINE HOUSING PRODUCTION
AND ENSURE THAT LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS ARE DOING THEIR PART
TO MEET THE HOUSING NEEDS OF
THEIR COMMUNITIES. WHEN CITIES
AND COUNTIES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH
THESE LAWS, THEY UNDERMINE THE
INTENT OF THE LEGISLATION AND
SLOW DOWN MUCH NEEDED HOUSING
CONSTRUCTION. NONCOMPLIANCE WITH
HOUSING LAWS NOT ONLY OBSTRUCTS
POTENTIAL HOUSING PROJECTS, BUT
ALSO PERPETUATES INEQUALITY IN
HOUSING ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY
OR IN OTHER WORDS, IT DEEPENS
THE CRISIS RATHER THAN
ALLEVIATING IT, ABOUT 200
JURISDICTIONS ARE CURRENTLY OUT
OF COMPLIANCE, AS WE JUST HEARD
WITH THE HOUSING ELEMENT LAW
IMPEDING THE STATE'S OVERALL
ABILITY TO MEET THESE CRITICAL
HOUSING NEEDS. SB 1037 ADDRESSES
THESE COMPLIANCE ISSUES BY
ALLOWING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO
SEEK EFFECTIVE MONETARY
PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS,
SERVING AS A STRONG DETERRENT
AND SERIOUSLY ENCOURAGING LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS TO TAKE THEIR
HOUSING RESPONSIBILITIES
SERIOUSLY. AT CALIFORNIA YIMBY,
WE ENVISION A FUTURE WHERE EVERY
CALIFORNIA THÀNH HAS ACCESS TO
SAFE, AFFORDABLE AND ABUNDANT
HOUSING. AND TO ACHIEVE THIS
GOAL, WE NEED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
TO FULFILL THEIR OBLIGATIONS AND
FOLLOW THE LAW, YOU KNOW, IT'S
PRETTY IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND
THAT COMPLIANCE WITH STATE
HOUSING LAWS IS NOT OPTIONAL,
BUT IT IS A REQUIREMENT FOR
BUILDING THRIVING, INCLUSIVE
COMMUNITIES. BY SUPPORTING SB
1037, WE CAN SEND A CLEAR
MESSAGE THAT ADHERENCE TO
HOUSING LAWS IS ESSENTIAL FOR
CREATING THE COMMUNITIES WE ALL
DESERVE. ON BEHALF OF CALIFORNIA
YIMBY, I URGE YOU TO VOTE AYE ON
SB 1037. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
AND CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. ARE THERE ARE ANY
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HERE
IN SUPPORT OF SB 1037? MEGAN
ROSE WITH LEADING AGE CALIFORNIA
IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
BOB NAYLOR FOR FIELDSTEAD AND
COMPANY. THAT'S HOWARD AHMANSON
JR, AN ORANGE COUNTY
PHILANTHROPIST, IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU, STEVEN SANDLER WITH
BROWNSTEIN ON BEHALF OF THE
HOUSING ACTION COALITION AND
HOUSING CALIFORNIA IN SUPPORT
MONNING MICHAEL GUNNING,
LIGHTHOUSE PUBLIC AFFAIRS ON
BEHALF OF SPUR AND SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND MARK
STIVERS WITH THE CALIFORNIA
HOUSING PARTNERSHIP AND SUPPORT.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ARE THERE
ANY WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION
WISHING TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY?
COME ON UP. GOOD MORNING. CHAIR
MEMBERS. BRADY GARTON, ON BEHALF
OF THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA
CITIES IN RESPECTFUL OPPOSITION
TO THE BILL, WANTED TO DIRECT
THE COMMITTEE TO WHERE OUR MAIN
CONCERNS COME FROM, WHICH IS IN
SECTION TWO B OF THE BILL, GIVEN
THAT IT SAYS THAT ANY LAND USE
OR PERMITTING DECISIONS ARE
ARBITRARY, CAPRICIOUS AND
LACKING IN EVIDENTIARY SUPPORT
MAKES SENSE. BUT THE BACK HALF
OF THE BILL SAYS THAT THESE
DECISIONS THAT ARE CONTRARY TO
ESTABLISHED PUBLIC POLICY,
PROCEDURALLY UNFAIR OR UNLAWFUL.
NOW THAT LANGUAGE IS SUPER VAGUE
AND OPEN FOR INTERPRETATION.
THÀNH I DON'T KNOW WHAT
PROCEDURALLY UNFAIR MEANS. SO
OUR CONCERN IS WITH THAT
LANGUAGE THAT THERE'S NO ABILITY
TO CURE THE VIOLATION. IT'S
GOING TO SET UP A CYCLE OF
CONTINUOUS LITIGATION BETWEEN
CITIES AND DEVELOPERS. AND WE
ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS IS NOT
GOING TO ADDRESS THE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING CRISIS. NOW, CAL CITIES
HAS OFFERED AMENDMENTS TO THE
AUTHOR'S OFFICE AND HAS
APPRECIATED THE CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT THOSE THAT ADDRESS THESE
CONCERNS, BUT THAT IS WHERE IT
REMAINS, BECAUSE OVERLY PUNITIVE
FINES TO CITIES AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS ARE NOT GOING TO
ADDRESS THE HOUSING CRISIS. IT'S
JUST GOING TO CONTINUE TO CREATE
A CONTINUOUS CYCLE OF
LITIGATION, AND WE DON'T WANT
THAT. AND WE ARE CONCERNED THAT
IT WOULD BECAUSE OF THE
VAGUENESS OF THE LANGUAGE, IT
WOULD IMPACT OUR CITIES, THAT WE
AGREE, THE ONES THAT ARE ACTING
IN GOOD FAITH SHOULD NOT BE
PUNISHED, AND THE ONES THAT ARE
BLATANTLY DISREGARDING THE LAW
SHOULD FACE THE FULL
CONSEQUENCES OF THAT REALM.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO DEFEND THOSE
ACTIONS. SO I THINK THAT SECOND
HALF OF THAT SECTION THAT I
POINTED OUT IS WHERE OUR MAIN
CONCERNS LIE, AND WE'RE HOPEFUL
TO WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS IN
THE NEXT COMMITTEE SHOULD THIS
GET THROUGH AND THROUGH THE REST
OF THE PROCESS. I'M HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. ANY
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HERE
IN OPPOSITION? THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE, SHARON GONSALVES,
ON BEHALF OF THE CITIES OF
CARLSBAD, CORONA, MERCED AND
RANCHO PALOS VERDES IN
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING. KIARA ROSS ON BEHALF OF
THE TOWN OF TRUCKEE AND THE CITY
OF SAN MARCO, IN RESPECTFUL
OPPOSITION, ECHOING THE COMMENTS
OF THE LEAGUE OF CITIES. THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND
MEMBERS, CASSANDRA MÀ, ON BEHALF
OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY AND THE
TOWN OF APPLE VALLEY AND
RESPECTFUL OPPOSITION. DILLON
ELLIOTT, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY
OF BEVERLY HILLS, RESPECTFULLY
OPPOSED. THANK YOU. I SEE NO
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
WISHING TO SPEAK. MEMBERS OF THE
DÍAS, SENATOR. EXCUSE ME,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER GRAYSON. THANK
YOU. CHAIR. WORD. AND, THANK YOU
TO THE AUTHOR FOR THE BILL. I
KNOW IT'S VERY VITALLY IMPORTANT
FOR HCD AND AG TO BE ABLE TO
HAVE THE TOOLS TO ENFORCE LAW,
TO ENFORCE STATE LAW. AND THANK
YOU TO THE TESTIMONY OF LEAGUE
OF CITIES. FOR BRINGING OUT A
VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT AS FAR AS
THE ABILITY TO CURE, THE RIGHT
TO CURE. SO FROM THE AUTHOR,
WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO
ADDRESS, IS THERE COVER FOR IN
THE BILL FOR JURISDICTIONS THAT
ARE TRYING TO GET IT RIGHT?
YEAH. I'M SORRY, WITH ALL DUE
RESPECT TO THE TO THE LEAGUE OF
CITIES THAT IS JUST NOT A
MERITORIOUS ARGUMENT. UNDER THE
WAY THIS PROCESS WORKS, CITIES
WILL HAVE YEARS, YEARS TO CURE.
THEY'LL HAVE LIKE MANY, MANY
OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE THIS IS
HOW IT PLAYS OUT. IF YOU'RE IF
YOU ARE ADOPTING A DEFICIENT
HOUSING ELEMENT, IT'S NOT LIKE
YOU SUBMIT A DEFICIENT HOUSING
ELEMENT AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
RUNS INTO COURT. THE NEXT DAY
YOU'RE GOING TO GET NOTIFICATION
FROM HCD SAYING, HEY, HERE'S
FEEDBACK ON YOUR HOUSING
ELEMENT, AND THAT'S GOING TO GO
BACK AND FORTH AND BACK AND
FORTH, AND THEN IF IT GETS TO
THE POINT WHERE IT GOES TO THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL, THAT'S GOING
TO PROBABLY BE A YEAR LATER,
YOU'RE GOING TO, THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL WILL PROBABLY THEN SEND
YOU A LETTER SAYING, HEY, YOU'RE
VIOLATING THE LAW, AND THEN EVEN
IF YOU DO GET SUED, WHICH AGAIN,
WE DON'T SEE THESE LAWSUITS THAT
OFTEN, IT'S LIKE THE EXTREME
OUTLIERS WHEN THEY ACTUALLY FILE
A LAWSUIT, PROBABLY SEVERAL
YEARS INTO THE PROCESS, YOU, AS
WE KNOW, DURING LITIGATION, YOU
HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO
RESOLVE IT. SAY, I'M GOING TO
COME INTO COMPLIANCE. LET'S HAVE
A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, YOU AND
IN A CASE WHERE A CITY REFUSES
TO ISSUE A MINISTERIAL PERMIT,
SAY, UNDER SB 423 OR SB 2011,
IT'S JUST UNLAWFULLY DOES THAT.
THEY WILL AGAIN, THEY WILL GET A
LETTER SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS
NOT A COMPLIANCE. PLEASE ISSUE
THE PERMIT. THEY'LL HAVE EVERY
OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT COURSE.
SO TO SUGGEST THAT THIS IS GOING
TO JUST LIKE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO
LIKE INADVERTENT GET FINED,
THERE ARE MANY, MANY SAFE
HARBORS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM
AND AVOID THESE FINES. MAY I
FOLLOW UP, CHAIR, TO THE LEAGUE
OF CITIES IN A WORST CASE
SCENARIO, HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE
A CITY TO CORRECT COURSE? I
THINK IN YOUR ESTIMATION. WELL,
I THINK IT DEPENDS ON THE CITY,
BUT. SO I DON'T HAVE AN ACTUAL
DATE FOR IT. I MEAN, I MY
UNDERSTANDING IS, YOU KNOW, MOST
OF THE CITIES ARE ACTING IN GOOD
FAITH. THERE'S OBVIOUSLY SOME
BAD ACTORS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN
THE MEDIA. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT
TIMELINE IS. I CAN LOOK INTO
THAT AND SEE WHAT IT IS. I WOULD
ASSUME, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE BACK
AND FORTH WITH HCD, A LOT OF OUR
CITIES GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS
TO COMPLY WITH HOUSING ELEMENT
LAW AND MINISTERIAL APPROVAL.
YOU KNOW, I THINK PART OF IT IS
JUST THE ASPECTS OF LIKE, YOU
KNOW, NEW STATE LAWS EVERY YEAR
AND TRYING TO LEARN AND GET UP
TO SPEED FOR IT. AND, YOU KNOW,
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GOING TO I
THINK IF THEY'RE INFORMED,
THEY'RE GOING TO DO THEIR BEST
TO DO THAT, YOU KNOW. SO I THINK
THAT'S WHERE THE CONCERN IS. BUT
WE DON'T WANT US TO GO THROUGH
THE PROCESS WITH THE
PROCEDURALLY UNFAIR BECAUSE THAT
COULD VARY BY, YOU KNOW, WHO'S
YOU KNOW, CHALLENGING THAT. AND
TO THE AG'S OFFICE, HOW MANY
LAWSUITS HAVE BEEN FILED UP TO
DATE, LIKE MAYBE IN THE LAST
DECADE OR FIVE YEARS, I CAN
SPEAK TO THE LAST HANDFUL OF
YEARS, PROBABLY FIVE, FOR
MINISTERIAL APPROVALS. I CAN
THINK OF ONE. THANK YOU, AND FOR
HOUSING ELEMENTS, I CAN THINK OF
ONE THAT'S ACTIVE LITIGATION ONE
AND FOUR, I BELIEVE THAT HAVE
THAT WERE COMP THAT RESULTED IN
A COMPROMISE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. REYES THANK YOU,
MR. CHAIR. I, I DO WANT TO THANK
THE SENATOR FOR THIS BILL. I DID
RECEIVE A LETTER OF OPPOSITION
FROM ONE OF MY CITIES, THE CITY
OF COLTON, BUT I APPRECIATE THAT
YOU ARE LOOKING TO THOSE WHO, AS
YOU SAY, ARE ATTEMPTING TO
COMPLY IN GOOD FAITH OR WHO FACE
SUBSTANTIAL UNDUE HARDSHIPS. I
THINK THAT TAKES CARE OF THE
CITIES THAT ARE REALLY ARE
MAKING THE EFFORT AND JUST
SIMPLY CAN'T COMPLY IN THE TIME
LIMIT, IN THAT TIME LIMIT THAT'S
PROVIDED TO THEM. I ALSO
APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THE
MONEY IS HELD IN A TRUST SO THAT
THE CITY CAN THEN BUILD
AFFORDABLE HOUSING USING THE
VERY FUNDS THAT WERE THAT WERE
TAKEN FROM THEM IN, FOR NOT
COMPLYING INITIALLY. SO WITH
THAT, I WOULD MOVE THE BILL.
THANK YOU, MOVE BY MISS REYES,
SECOND BY MR. LEE, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER QUIRK-SILVA. THANK YOU. I
WANT TO APPRECIATE THE AUTHOR
FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. OF
COURSE, THIS IS ONE OF THE LAST
RESORTS THAT WE WANT TO SEE. AND
THE NUMBERS BEAR, WITH MAYBE
FIVE, CASES, AND, THAT WERE THE
AG IS INVOLVED AND, NOTING THE
OPPOSITION. I TOO HAVE, ONE CITY
FULLERTON WHERE I LIVE, THIS IS
AN OPPOSITION, BUT I ALSO SEE
OTHER CITIES WHO HAVE BEEN VERY
MUCH FIGHTING, THE IDEA OF
BUILDING. WE SEE THE CITY OF
HUNTINGTON BEACH HERE, AND
OTHERS, THIS IS A COMPOUND
EFFECT WHEN WE BELIEVE IT'S ONLY
THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS, CITIES
PURVIEW OF HOW THEY CHOOSE TO
MANEUVER WITH THEIR HOUSING
ELEMENTS. BUT IT ALSO MAKES IT
PART OF A REGIONAL ISSUE BECAUSE
OF ONE OR 2 OR 3 OR 4 OR 5
CITIES WITHIN A REGION, DON'T
GET, PERMIT AND START TO BUILD.
IT IMPACTS THE OTHER CITIES THAT
ARE AND THAT IN MANY WAYS IS THE
GOAL IS TO TIE THINGS UP IN
LITIGATION TO STALL AND DELAY
AND DO ANYTHING BUT MOVE FORWARD
PERMITTING FOR HOUSING. SO IT IS
NOT JUST THE ONE CITY WHO SAYS,
WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THIS OR
THE BACK AND FORTH THING FOR
SOMETIMES YEARS. IT'S THE IDEA
THAT IS A DELIBERATE TYPE OF
MANEUVER TO STALL AND DELAY. AND
WE HAVE SEEN THIS TOO OFTEN. AND
WHAT HAPPENS IS THE CITIES THAT
THEN MOVE FORWARD WITH BUILDING
MANY TIMES SEE THE OTHER IMPACTS
, WHILE OTHER CITIES KIND OF
STAY OUT OF THE ARGUMENT, I
AGAIN APPRECIATE THE IDEA THAT
IF A CITY GOES ALL THE WAY AND
THERE ARE, PENALTIES INCURRED,
THAT THEY WOULD GO TO A HOUSING,
FUND, BUT WITH THAT, IT'S REALLY
DOESN'T MAKE US, FEEL IN A
POSITION THAT WE'RE AGAIN,
SLAPPING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, IF
YOU WANT TO SAY IT THAT WAY. BUT
THIS IS A VERY SMALL PART OF THE
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT ARE IN
THIS, CATEGORY, BECAUSE, AGAIN,
WE KNOW THAT MOST LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS ARE TRYING TO DO
WHAT THEY CAN AS FAST AS THEY
CAN. AND, I APPRECIATE THAT. AND
I, OF COURSE, SUPPORT THIS.
THANK YOU. MR. QUIRK-SILVA. VICE
CHAIR. PATTERSON. GREAT. THANK
YOU. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE, BILLS
WHERE I CAME IN THINKING ONE
THING, AND I ACTUALLY LISTENED
TO WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING BEFORE
I MAKE UP MY MIND. SO I HAVE A,
YOU KNOW, I'M 100, AGAINST, YOU
KNOW, CITIES ACTING IN BAD FAITH
WHEN THEY DO, AND, AND I THINK
THERE SHOULD BE CONSEQUENCES TO
THAT AS WELL, AND I'VE ALWAYS
SAID, YOU KNOW, IF ALL CITIES
DID WAS ALLOW HOUSING IN AREAS
WHERE HOUSING IS INTENDED, YOU
KNOW, AND DIDN'T ALLOW THE
MINISTERIAL HOUSING TO ACTUALLY
HAPPEN IN, DIDN'T SLOW DOWN
PROJECTS THAT WERE ZONED FOR
HIGH DENSITY OR EVEN SINGLE
FAMILY AND JUST ALLOWED IT TO
HAPPEN. IF ALL CALIFORNIA DID,
INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, SOME CEQA
RELIEF ON WHERE THERE'S ALREADY
ZONED HOUSING, ALLOWING THE
HOUSING TO HAPPEN WITHOUT TYING
THAT UP. IF ALL WE DID, WE'D
PROBABLY SOLVE THE HOUSING
CRISIS TOMORROW, IF THAT'S ALL
WE DID. BUT, BUT WE'VE ALSO WE
ALSO READ IN THE NEWSPAPER,
REGULARLY ABOUT A LOT OF CITIES
THAT ARE BAD ACTORS, AND I'M NOT
SURE IF CONSEQUENCES ARE GIVING
EQUITABLY TO, YOU KNOW, CITIES
THAT ARE BAD ACTORS. AND THAT'S
A CONCERN THAT I HAVE, IS THE
DISCRETION, WITH THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL, WHETHER IT'S THIS ONE
OR FUTURE ATTORNEY GENERAL, BUT
CAN YOU DESCRIBE AGAIN, THE WAY
YOU SEE THE PROCESS WORKING OUT,
IT'S SO BASICALLY, CITY DOESN'T
ALLOW MINISTERIAL JUST BECAUSE
YOU DID DESCRIBE IT. BUT I WANT
TO HEAR ONE MORE TIME. SURE. AND
JUST ONE THING I WANT TO NOTE IN
TERMS OF SEQUA THE MINISTERIAL
APPROVAL LAWS, WHICH YOU'VE
SUPPORTED THEM, AND I APPRECIATE
THAT REMOVE THESE PROJECTS FROM
CEQA ENTIRELY, AND SO FOR WE'VE
HAD SOME SITUATIONS WHERE, WHERE
THERE WILL BE A MINISTERIAL
APPROVAL FOR A PROJECT, CLEARLY
QUALIFIES FOR THAT PERMIT. AND
AGAIN, MOST CITIES ARE
ABSOLUTELY WORKING EARNESTLY TO
COMPLY WITH LAW AND TO GRANT
THAT PERMIT, BUT THERE ARE SOME
CITIES WHO WILL EITHER JUST
REFUSE TO ISSUE IT. THEY'LL MAKE
UP, A TOTALLY BOGUS REASON WHY
THEY DON'T HAVE TO, ISSUE IT OR
THEY WILL SLOW PLAY IT, AND, AND
PUT UP ILLEGAL, OBSTRUCTIONS TO
TRY TO SLOW PLAY IT, AND WHEN
THAT HAPPENS, I MEAN, OF COURSE,
THE DEVELOPER CAN ALWAYS FILE A
LAWSUIT, BUT THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL AND THERE ARE SITUATIONS
WHERE THE WHERE THE IT WILL
PROBABLY START WITH HCD SENDING
A LETTER IN SAYING, WE BELIEVE
THAT YOU ARE ACTING ILLEGALLY,
PLEASE COME INTO COMPLIANCE, AND
THAT WILL CONSUME A PERIOD OF
TIME. AND BY THE TIME THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL GETS INVOLVED,
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS
TYPICALLY ONLY GOING TO GET
INVOLVED BECAUSE OF RESOURCE
CONSTRAINTS. IN THE MOST EXTREME
CASES, NOT IN A MINOR CASE, IT
MIGHT BE MONTHS AND MONTHS OR
MAYBE A YEAR LATER. WHO KNOWS
THAT THE, THAT THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL SENDS A LETTER SAYING
YOU ARE VIOLATING THE LAW.
PLEASE CEASE AND DESIST AND COME
INTO COMPLIANCE. AND THEN BY THE
TIME YOU GET TO A LAWSUIT BEING
FILED, A LOT HAS HAPPENED
PROCEDURALLY, FROM HCD, FROM THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL TRYING TO GET
THEM TO COMPLY. AND THEN ONCE
YOU HAVE, A LAWSUIT, WE ALL KNOW
THAT THE COURTS, YOU KNOW, ARE
NOT ALWAYS THE FASTEST MOVING,
IT'S A IT'S A DELIBERATIVE
PROCESS, AND YOU'VE HAD MANY
OPPORTUNITIES DURING LITIGATION
TO COME INTO A SETTLEMENT AND
RESOLVE IT. SO IT'S LIKE. AND
MEANWHILE, THAT DEVELOPER WHO'S
JUST TRYING TO BUILD HOUSING
THAT TYPICALLY COMPLIES WITH THE
ZONING, THEY HAVE, THE STATE LAW
AND NOW YOU'RE A YEAR OR TWO
LATER, I'M SORRY. THERE SHOULD
BE A CONSEQUENCE FOR DOING THAT.
WHEN YOU'RE ACTING LIKE THAT,
AND I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER
SCENARIO LIKE, CAN YOU IMAGINE,
LIKE SOMEONE WHO'S LIKE, DUMPING
RAW SEWAGE INTO A LAKE? AND
WHATEVER AGENCY COMES TO THEM
AND SAYS, PLEASE STOP DOING
THAT. AND THEY DON'T STOP DOING
IT. AND YOU TELL THEM AGAIN,
PLEASE STOP DOING IT. THEY DON'T
STOP DOING IT. AND SO FINALLY,
YOU SUE THEM AND YOU WIN. AND
THEN THEY'RE LIKE, OKAY, NOW
WE'LL COME INTO COMPLIANCE. AND
THEN THERE'S NO PENALTIES THAT
THAT IT MAKES NO SENSE. AND YET
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN
TOLERATING HERE. IS THIS ONLY
WHEN THE, CASE IS ONE? YES. IT'S
ONLY IT IS ONLY AFTER IT'S GONE
ALL THE WAY THROUGH LITIGATION,
THROUGH A TRIAL OR A MOTION AND
A FORMAL FINAL JUDGMENT HAS BEEN
ENTERED BY THE JUDGE AGAINST THE
CITY. THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT
WOULD TRIGGER, ONE OF THESE
PENALTIES. OKAY. THANK YOU, JUST
ONE MORE COMMENT, YOU MENTIONED
THAT THERE ARE 190 CITIES OR 190
JURISDICTIONS OUT OF COMPLIANCE.
IS THAT WHAT YOU MENTIONED? I
THINK IT'S 183 AS OF THIS
MORNING. OKAY. MAYBE IT'LL BE
182 BY THE TIME WE GET DONE WITH
THIS. BUT I WILL SAY JUST
GENERALLY THAT IS KIND OF WHAT
CONCERNS ME. I KNOW IN MY OWN
JURISDICTIONS WHO ARE TRYING TO
MAKE GOOD FAITH EFFORTS AND AS
YOU KNOW, YOU GET THESE LETTERS
BACK FROM HCD THAT SAY YOU NEED
TO CHANGE SOME ORDINANCE BECAUSE
WE BELIEVE THAT IT DOES X, Y, Z,
AND IT'S NOT REALLY RELEVANT TO
THIS BILL. SO I WON'T HASH ON
THAT TOO MUCH. BUT THE RANGE OF
OUT OF COMPLIANCE IS VERY LARGE,
YOU KNOW. AND I ALWAYS AM VERY
CONCERNED GENERALLY WITH
SUPPORTING LEGISLATION THAT
GIVES THE AG MORE AUTHORITY OUT
OF THESE, OUT OF COMPLIANCE
CITIES BECAUSE IT'S HUGE. YOU
CAN MAYBE MISS YOUR DEADLINE AND
YOU'RE JUST DEBATING OVER THIS
HCD LETTER YOU GET RIGHT. BUT
THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE A COURT
HAS ENTERED A JUDGMENT. THE
COURT HAS ENTERED A JUDGMENT. SO
IT'S WAY DOWN. I'M ALSO I'M A
I'M MORE OF A GLASS HALF FULL
GUY. AND SO WHAT I'M GOING TO
SAY IS WE JUST PROFOUNDLY
CHANGED RINA AND HOUSING
PROFOUNDLY OVER THE LAST DECADE.
AND WE ARE NOW IN THE VERY FIRST
CYCLE UNDER THAT NEW, VERY
DIFFERENT, REGIME, AND MORE THAN
60% OF CITIES ARE IN COMPLIANCE.
SO I OF COURSE, I WANT IT TO BE
100, AND, BUT MOST CITIES ARE IN
COMPLIANCE. AND OF THAT 183, A
WHOLE BUNCH OF THEM ARE TRYING
EARNESTLY. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO
GET SUED. AND YOU KNOW, SO I
THINK WE'RE GETTING THERE. IT'S
A DIFFICULT, AWKWARD TRANSITION
NOW, BUT I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY
GOING REASONABLY WELL UNDER THE
CIRCUMSTANCES. AND 183 AND A
TINY NUMBER OF LAWSUITS, TINY.
WELL, I'M A HALF, EMPTY KIND OF
GUY. SO WE LIKE, WE'RE THE.
THAT'S WHY WE LIKE EACH OTHER,
MR. PATTERSON. THANK YOU KNOW,
OTHER MEMBERS WISHING TO SPEAK.
SENATOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING THIS BILL FORWARD, I
KNOW THE EVOLUTION OF THIS HAS
BEEN SOMETHING OVER TIME. I WANT
TO APPRECIATE OUR ATTORNEY
GENERAL FOR HIS LEADERSHIP, AND
THE STAFF WORK THAT GOES BEHIND
THAT AS WELL, TO TRY TO MAKE
SURE THAT OUR LAWS ARE ENFORCED
THROUGH THAT LEARNING PROCESS,
UNDERSTANDING THAT WE DON'T HAVE
THE ENFORCEMENT TOOLS NECESSARY
TO REALLY, WORK ON, YOU KNOW,
JUST AS YOU HAD STATED, YOU
KNOW, JUST A REALLY, REALLY
SMALL PERCENT, OF JURISDICTIONS
THAT DON'T FEEL THE NEED TO
COMPLY, AND IT'S NOT SO MUCH
COMPLIANT WITH STATE LAW. IT IS
THAT THAT'S A FACT, BUT IT'S
REALLY TRYING TO DO YOUR FAIR
SHARE, TRYING TO DO THE SAME
PART THAT OTHER CITIES ARE
TRYING TO STRETCH AND BE ABLE TO
DO THEIR FAIR SHARE AND THEIR
SAME PART. AND THAT'S ALL WE'RE
ASKING EVERYBODY TO DO. AND SO
TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT
ADDITIONAL TOOL THROUGH THIS
EXPERIENCE, TO BE ABLE TO DO
THAT. I DID WANT TO BEG THE
QUESTION THOUGH, THROUGH
OPPOSITION, BECAUSE YOU REALLY
HIGHLIGHTED ON CERTAIN LANGUAGE
AS WELL. AND LOOKING AT SECTION
TWO B, I'M CONFUSED. WHAT WAS
WHAT IS WHAT IS OBJECTIONABLE
ABOUT THE LANGUAGE THAT IS USED
HERE? BECAUSE THESE SEEM TO BE
TERMS THAT ARE, SUBJECTIVE BY
DEFINITION, BUT THOSE ARE
EXACTLY THE SAME TERMS THAT ARE
ARGUED IN COURT. WHETHER OR NOT
AN ACTION IS UNFAIR OR ILLEGAL.
WHAT WHAT IS IT ABOUT ABOUT
THESE TERMS THAT IS, THAT IS
INSUFFICIENT TO BE ABLE TO MEET?
YEAH. SO I THINK THE FIRST
SECTION ABOUT ARBITRARY,
CAPRICIOUS AND LACKING
EVIDENTIARY SUPPORT IS A COMMON
LEGAL STANDARD FROM MY
UNDERSTANDING, THE ESTABLISHED A
CONTRARY PUBLIC POLICY
PROCEDURALLY UNFAIR, UNLAWFUL, I
THINK, HAS SOME DEFINITION
THERE. BUT I THINK THE CONCERN
IS WITH THOSE. WHAT DOES
ESTABLISH THE CONTRARY PUBLIC
POLICY MEAN? WHAT DOES A
PROCEDURALLY UNFAIR MEAN? IS IT
THE PROCESS? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK
LIKE? SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE
THE CONCERN IS. AND WE'RE
CONCERNED IT'S GOING TO OPEN THE
FLOODGATES TO SOME LITIGATION
AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT THE INTENT
OF THE AUTHOR'S OFFICE, BUT
WE'RE CONCERNED WITH THAT FROM
AN ON THE GROUND PERSPECTIVE.
OKAY. JUST TO PUT A PIN IN THE
CENTER, I'D LIKE YOU WELL, THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, YOU'D
LIKE TO RESPOND? SURE.
ABSOLUTELY THIS IS THAT LANGUAGE
IS INTENDED TO MIRROR THE
STANDARD OF A 1085 WRIT. SO
THERE'S CASE LAW. YOU KNOW,
ESSENTIALLY, IF WE WIN THAT,
THEN WE'VE THEN THAT THE PENALTY
IS ESTABLISHED, BECAUSE THESE
ARE BROUGHT BY 1085. RIGHT SO
THE COURTS ARE VERY FAMILIAR
WITH WHAT THESE TERMS MEAN. AND
IT'S NOT AN, YOU KNOW, AN
EXACTING STANDARD IN THE SENSE
THAT ONE PARTICULAR WORD IN THIS
IS GOING TO DRAMATICALLY CHANGE
THE APPLICATION OF THE PENALTY.
YEAH. AND BECAUSE THIS IS A
JUDICIARY CæA 1085, WHERE IT'S A
WRIT OF MANDATE FOR ANYONE WHO
DOESN'T. SORRY. YES. THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE THAT PRECEDENT. I
THINK IT'S HELPFUL TO PUT A PIN
IN IT, AS THIS CONTINUES TO MOVE
FORWARD, IF THERE'S ONGOING
DIALOG THAT HELPS TO PERFECT
ANY, YOU KNOW, DEFINITION HERE,
I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS HELPFUL,
BUT IT'S CLEAR TO ME WHAT THE
INTENT IS AND WHAT THE
ACHIEVEMENT COULD BE THROUGH
THIS BILL. SENATOR, I INVITE YOU
TO CLOSE. I THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR, AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR AN AYE VOTE. THANK YOU,
MADAM SECRETARY. PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ACTION TO PASS THE
COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY. WORD A
WORD I PERSON. HARRISON I
GRAYSON. GRAYSON. I CHOLERA. LEE
LI I QUIRK-SILVA QUIRK-SILVA I
REYES SANCHEZ. SANCHEZ. NØ.
HANEY. WE ARE AT 5 TO 1. THAT
BILL IS OUT. WE'LL HOLD THE ROLL
OPEN FOR ABSENT MEMBERS. THANK
YOU. COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR. THANK YOU. YES I SEE THE
NEXT AUTHOR IN THE ROOM WHO'S
AVAILABLE TO PRESENT ON OUR FILE
ORDER IS SENATOR DURAZZO. SO WE
WILL TAKE UP ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
THIS IS SB 1500. GOOD LUCK.
THANKS FOR SETTING THE TONE. AND
SENATOR, WHEN YOU ARE
COMFORTABLE AND READY, YOU MAY
BEGIN YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. LET ME
START BY THANKING THE COMMITTEE
CHAIR VERY MUCH AND YOUR STAFF
FOR WORKING WITH US. I AM
ACCEPTING THE COMMITTEE
AMENDMENTS ONE AND TWO OUTLINED
ON PAGES FIVE AND SIX OF THE
ANALYSIS. AND I AGREE TO THE
CONCEPT IN AMENDMENT AN
AMENDMENT THREE, WITH THE
UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WILL
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE CHAIR
AND COMMITTEE STAFF TO INSERT
INOPERABILITY LANGUAGE AS THE
BILL CONTINUES TO MOVE THROUGH
THE PROCESS, I'M REALLY HERE AT
THE REQUEST OF MAYOR KAREN BASS
AND THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, WHO
YOU ALL KNOW HAS BEEN SINGULARLY
FOCUSED ON HOMELESSNESS, SB 150
IS ANOTHER TOOL FOR THE LOCALS
TO ADDRESS THE UNHOUSED CRISIS.
THE COST OF HOUSING HAS BECOME
SUCH A TREMENDOUS BURDEN,
ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE LOW AND
EXTREMELY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS
TO HELP PROVIDE HOUSING
OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOW INCOME
INDIVIDUALS, CITIES LIKE LOS
ANGELES PROVIDE VOUCHER PROGRAMS
TO INCENTIVIZE DEVELOPERS TO
HOUSE SUCH LOW INCOME
PROSPECTIVE TENANTS WHO MAY NOT
HAVE THE IMMEDIATELY, HAVE THE
ECONOMIC MEANS TO SECURE HOUSING
. IN 2023, THE US DEPARTMENT OF
HOUSING GRANTED WAIVERS TO THE
CITY AND COUNTY OF LA FOR
GREATER FLEXIBILITY TO MOVE
UNHOUSED PEOPLE INTO TEMPORARY
HOUSING. DESPITE HAVING THESE
CRITICAL RESOURCES, HOUSING
PROVIDERS HAVE EXPRESSED THAT
THE RISK WITH THE CURRENT
HOUSING VOUCHER SYSTEM AND THE
RULES WITH THE CURRENT HOUSING
VOUCHER SYSTEM AND RULES, IF
THESE PROVIDERS HOUSE FAMILIES
BASED ON REPRESENTATION
REPRESENTATIONS, ONCE THEY HAVE
PROPER DOCUMENTATION, THEY MAY
LATER FIND DISCREPANCIES SUCH AS
INCOME, INELIGIBILITY AND RISK
FINANCIAL PENALTIES. THEN THE
VOUCHERS GO UNUSED, AS I'M SORRY
WAS, SB 1500 ADDRESSES THIS
ISSUE BY PROVIDING THESE
VOUCHERS MORE FLEXIBILITY TO
DEVELOPERS AND OPERATORS, WITH
PROSPECTIVE TENANTS BEING HOUSED
WITH HUD WAIVERS WITH ME TO
TESTIFY IN SUPPORT AND ANSWER
QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE. KEVIN
KELLER, INTERIM DEPUTY MAYOR OF
HOUSING FOR LA MAYOR KAREN BASS.
THANK YOU. MOTION AND SECOND,
TESTIMONY UP TO TWO MINUTES
EACH. PERFECT. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. CHAIR AND MEMBERS, MY NAME
IS KEVIN KELLER. I AM THE
INTERIM DEPUTY MAYOR OF HOUSING
FOR LOS ANGELES, FOR MAYOR BASS.
AND A PLEASURE TO BE HERE. THANK
YOU. AS PART OF MAYOR BASS'S
HOUSING FIRST APPROACH TO
HOMELESSNESS, THE CITY HAS TAKEN
EVERY EFFORT TO CUT THROUGH THE
BUREAUCRATIC RED TAPE, SWIFTLY
BRINGING UNHOUSED ANGELENOS
INDOORS. MONTHS AGO, PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WERE
FORCED TO FILL OUT 30 PLUS PAGES
OF QUESTIONNAIRES, PROOF OF
INCOME AND ID PRIOR PRIOR TO
BEING PLACED IN HOUSING. ALL
DIFFICULT CHALLENGES FOR THOSE
LIVING ON THE STREETS. IN AN
EFFORT TO SPEED THIS PROCESS,
THE CITY OF LA SUCCESSFULLY
APPEALED LAST YEAR TO THE US
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN
DEVELOPMENT, SECURING SEVERAL
WAIVERS FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY
OF LOS ANGELES. THE WAIVERS
PROVIDED THE FLEXIBILITY TO
SPEED UP THE TEMPORARY TO
PERMANENT HOUSING PLACEMENT
PROCESS BY ALLOWING INDIVIDUALS
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS TO
SELF-CERTIFY ESSENTIAL
INFORMATION SUCH AS INCOME,
SOCIAL SECURITY, NUMBER, DATE OF
BIRTH, AND DISABILITY STATUS.
THESE WAIVERS REPRESENTED THE
REMOVAL OF A MAJOR BARRIER, BUT
SINCE THEN, WE HAVE LEARNED THAT
NEW ROADBLOCKS DO EXIST AT THE
STATE LEVEL THAT HAMPER THE USE
OF THESE WAIVERS. AND THAT'S
WHAT THIS BILL IS ABOUT. THE
CITY OF LA HAS 36,000 CHOICE
VOUCHERS, REPRESENTING 68 TOTAL
HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS. WHEN A WHEN
HOUSING PROVIDERS ACCEPT THESE
VOUCHERS, THEY COMMIT TO MEETING
CERTAIN INCOME ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS IN THEIR FUNDING
APPLICATION. IF A HOUSING
PROVIDER USES THE
SELF-CERTIFICATION WAIVER
ALLOWED BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, THEY CURRENTLY RISK
FACING MULTIPLE FINANCIAL AND
REPUTATIONAL PENALTIES IF THEY
IF THEY DISCOVER MINOR
DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN
SELF-REPORTED DATA AND THE
ULTIMATE DOCUMENTATION. ONE
EXAMPLE WOULD BE A PERSON
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WHO IS
BELIEVED TO HAVE AN INCOME AT OR
BELOW 30% AREA MEDIAN INCOME,
BUT IS LATER FOUND TO BE EVEN A
DOLLAR OVER THAT 30% AMI LEVEL
TCAC DOES NOTIFY THE IRS IF AN
INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS DOES NOT HAVE
INCOME, VERIFIED WITHIN 60 DAYS,
OR HAS AN INCOME VERIFIED ABOVE
AN ESTABLISHED LIMIT. AS A
RESULT. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE
NOT SEEN HOUSING DEVELOPERS AND
OPERATORS FULLY UTILIZE UTILIZE
THESE WAIVERS OUT OF A FEAR OF
PENALTIES FROM HCD AND TCAC IF
THEY PLACE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS INTO AN INCOME
RESTRICTED UNIT, AND LATER LEARN
THAT THE INDIVIDUAL INCOME IS
ABOVE THE LIMIT. SB 1500 WOULD
CREATE A STATUTORY GUIDELINE FOR
HCD AND TCAC TO COUNT A TENANT
AT 30% AMI. WHEN A TENANT GETS A
THIRD PARTY INCOME VERIFICATION
ABOVE 30% AMI, BUT BELOW 50% AMI
AND WAS PLACED INTO AN INCOME
HOUSING RESTRICTED UNIT USING
HUD WAIVER AUTHORITY. THIS COUNT
WOULD ONLY BE FOR PURPOSES OF
QUALIFYING A TENANT FOR THE
INCOME RESTRICTED UNIT, AND SB
1500 WOULD PROVIDE A 24 MONTH
CURE PERIOD TO ALLOW ANY ISSUES
TO BE RESOLVED FOR THE USE OF
THE HUD WAIVER, WITH THAT, I
WANTED TO SPEAK STRONGLY IN
SUPPORT. WE LOOK FORWARD TO
ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
COMMITTEE AS THE BILL MOVES TO
THE PROCESS AND VERY SUPPORTIVE
ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR FOR AN
AYE VOTE ON SB 1500. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. QUINTANA. IF YOU
WANT TO MAKE ANY REMARKS ON
BEHALF OF THE CITY OF LOS
ANGELES, JUST REALLY FREDDIE
QUINTANA, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF
STATE AFFAIRS TO MAYOR KAREN
BASS, AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ARE THERE
ANY OTHER WITNESSES OR MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC HERE IN SUPPORT OF
THIS ITEM? ARE YOU SEEING NONE?
I HAVE NO REGISTERED OPPOSITION.
ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
WISHING TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY OR
REGISTER OPPOSITION? OKAY.
SEEING NONE, WE'LL TURN IT BACK
TO THE DAIS. ANY QUESTIONS FROM
MEMBERS? AND DID WE HAVE A
MOTION? WE DO. WE MOTION. AND A
AND A SECOND. THANK YOU,
SENATOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I WANT TO
THANK MAYOR BASS AS WELL FOR HER
LEADERSHIP. I'M TRYING TO SET AN
EXAMPLE FOR ALL OF US ABOUT
TAKING THE CRISIS SERIOUSLY AND
LOOKING AT UNLOCKING, OPTIONS
THAT ARE BARRIERS TO US, TO
BEING ABLE TO GET THE HARD WORK
DONE. SHE HAS REALLY SHOWN THAT
LEADERSHIP AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT
WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, THE NEED TO
BE ABLE TO ALIGN, I THINK, SOME
OF OUR STATE LAWS AS WELL, TO BE
ABLE TO ALLOW YOU TO DO JUST
THAT, THAT VERY SAME WORK, THAT
SAID, I APPRECIATE YOUR
WILLINGNESS TO BE ABLE TO
CONTINUE TO WORK AS WE'RE SORT
OF GIVEN A LITTLE BIT BACK FROM
THE STATE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE
GRATEFUL AND MAYBE WE'LL LEARN
SOME LESSONS AS WELL ABOUT HUD'S
OWN PROCESSES THROUGH THIS, THAT
THIS WAIVER MIGHT ACTUALLY BE
ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE SOME DATA
THAT WE DESERVE SOME
IMPROVEMENTS ON THERE. AND, BUT
SO LONG FOR CONSISTENCY PURPOSES
THAT A WAIVER MAY NOT BE IN
EFFECT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THAT, THAT WE'RE ALIGNED
WITH WHAT THE STATE IS DOING
THROUGH THIS BILL AS WELL. I
APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO
BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON
THE TECHNICAL DETAIL THAT WILL
MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT RIGHT
AND DON'T INADVERTENTLY CAUSE A
FURTHER ISSUE FOR YOU. WITH
THAT, I INVITE YOU TO CLOSE.
THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR HARD WORK, CHAIR AND, URGE
AND I VOTE THANK YOU, MADAM
SECRETARY. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
THE ACTION. DO PASS IS AMENDED
TO THE COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND
VETERANS AFFAIRS. WARD I, WARD I
PERSON, PERSON I GRAYSON GRAYSON
I COLLURA LEE. LEE I QUIRK-SILVA
QUIRK-SILVA I REYES SANCHEZ. NOT
VOTING HANEY. RIGHT NOW THAT IS
OUT 5 TO 0. WE'LL HOLD A ROLL
OPEN FOR ABSENT MEMBERS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY.
WITH THAT, WE ARE AWAITING
AUTHORS.
SKETCHES. FOR. THANK YOU. I SEE
NEXT ON THE ORDER IS SENATOR
SKINNER. WHEN YOU ARE READY AND
COMFORTABLE, YOU MAY COME TO THE
PRESENTATION TABLE AND PRESENT
ITEM THREE. THIS WILL BE SB
1211.
IS PRETTY FUN. THANK YOU. CHAIR.
WARDEN. MEMBERS I DON'T NEED TO
REMIND US THAT CALIFORNIA HAS A
SERIOUS SHORTAGE IN THE SUPPLY
OF HOUSING. AND THAT, OF COURSE,
SHORTAGE OF SUPPLY HAS
CONTRIBUTED TO THE VERY HIGH
COST OF HOUSING. ADUS ARE ONE OF
OUR HOUSING SUCCESS STORIES.
THEY ARE RELATIVELY AFFORDABLE
TO CONSTRUCT. THEY ARE A VERY
GOOD USE OF INFILL HOUSING
BECAUSE THEY'RE PRIMARILY PUT
IN, IN LOCATIONS WHERE THERE'S
ALREADY RESIDENTIAL USES AND,
AND SO THERE'S ALREADY HOUSING
STOCK AND SUCH. SO THEY'RE AN
EFFICIENT USE OF RESIDENTIAL
LAND IN OUR HOUSING STOCK. NOW
OUR CURRENT LAW. SO AS I THINK
ALL OF YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS,
WE HAVE, TAKEN STATE ACTION TO
MAKE IT EASIER FOR ADUS IN
DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, ALL UP AND
DOWN THE STATE. AND ONE OF THE
ACTIONS THAT WE TOOK A COUPLE OF
YEARS AGO WAS TO RECOGNIZE THAT
THERE ARE MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES
WHERE AN ADU CAN BE APPROPRIATE.
SO I THINK MOST OF US THINK
ABOUT ADUS MOSTLY ON THE SINGLE
FAMILY, LAND OR, YOU KNOW, IN
THE PROPERTY OWNERS WHO HAS A
SINGLE FAMILY HOME THAT THEY
WOULD ADD AN ADU, SAY IS A
CONVERSION TO A GARAGE OR
SOMETHING IN THE BACKYARD. BUT
IN FACT, MANY OF OUR MULTIFAMILY
PROPERTIES HAVE WHEN WHENEVER
THEY WERE DESIGNED, THEY HAD
LOTS OF ADDITIONAL SPACE THAT
THEY DIDN'T COVER WITH HOUSING
THAT IS UNDERUTILIZED. AND SO
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO
UTILIZE THAT SPACE WITH ADUS.
AND SO THERE WAS A LAW THAT
ALLOWED FOR, ADU CONVERSIONS IN
MULTIFAMILY, PROPERTIES WITHIN
THE EXISTING BUILDING ENVELOPE.
AND THAT LAW RESTRICTED DETACHED
ADUS. SO IN OTHER WORDS, ONES
THAT WERE NOT A CONVERSION
WITHIN THE BUILDING ENVELOPE TO
ONLY TWO. SO THAT SO YOU COULD
HAVE A THOUSAND UNIT,
MULTIFAMILY PROPERTY OR A 500
UNIT MULTIFAMILY PROPERTY. AND
YET OUR LAW NOW RESTRICTED YOU
TO ONLY TWO DETACHED, REGARDLESS
OF HOW MUCH SPACE YOU MIGHT
HAVE. SO MY BILL, 20 1211
PROVIDES ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY
WHERE ADUS CAN BE SITED ON
MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES AND
LIFTS. THAT NUMBER TO, UP TO
EIGHT DETACHED ADUS AS LONG AS
THE NUMBER DOES NOT EXCEED
DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF EXISTING.
SO, IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU ONLY
HAD A FOUR UNIT, MULTIFAMILY
PROPERTY, YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE
TO ADD EIGHT, SO LET ME HAVE MY
WITNESSES AND SUPPORT. WE HAVE
LUIS MORANTE FROM THE CASITA
COALITION. CASITA COALITION IS,
I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT ANYONE
WHO IS INTERESTED IN ADU GO ON
TO THEIR WEBSITE. THEY HAVE
GREAT INFORMATION ABOUT,
EVERYTHING TO DO WITH ADUS, BUT
WE HAVE LUIS HERE. HE'S A
FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER OF THAT
COALITION, AND WE HAVE ESME
LOPEZ FROM UNITE UNIT UNIDOS,
US, CALIFORNIA STATE DIRECTOR.
GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. SENATOR,
FOLKS CAN ALSO POLICY MAKERS CAN
JOIN THE CASITA COALITION FOR
THE LOW PRICE OF $25. Tê. IF
THAT'S, MY NAME IS LUIS MORANTE.
I REPRESENT THE CASITA COALITION
AS BOARD MEMBER, I SHOULD SAY
WE'RE PROUD TO SPONSOR THIS BILL
AND SUPPORT IT. AND MY EMPLOYER,
THE BAY AREA COUNCIL, ALSO
SUPPORTS THIS BILL, BUT I'M
PROVIDING COMMENTS ON BEHALF OF
THE CASITA COALITION TODAY, THE
CASITA COALITION IS A FOUR YEAR
OLD STATEWIDE NONPROFIT
DEDICATED TO CREATING A MORE
EQUITABLE, INCLUSIVE AND
SUSTAINABLE CALIFORNIA BY
RESTORING HOUSING, CHOICE AND
OPPORTUNITY TO RENTERS AND
BUYERS THROUGH GENTLE INFILL
LIKE ADUS. WE'RE PLEASED TO
SUPPORT SENATOR SKINNER'S, SB
1211 TODAY, WHICH WILL ALLOW
GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN WHERE THE
MULTIFAMILY ADUS ARE ALREADY
ALLOWED UNDER STATE LAW, WHERE
THEY CAN BE LOCATED SO THAT WE
CAN GET MORE MIDDLE INCOME HOMES
ON A VARIETY OF PROPERTIES WITH
VARYING SITE CONDITIONS, I'M
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY TECHNICAL
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BILL AND
DEFER MOST OF MY COMMENTS TO THE
NEXT WITNESS. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. HELLO I'M ESMERALDA LOPEZ,
AND I'M THE CALIFORNIA STATE
ADVOCACY DIRECTOR FOR UNIDOS US.
WE'RE THE NATION'S LARGEST
LATINO CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCACY
ORGANIZATION. AND IN ADDITION TO
AN OFFICE IN LOS ANGELES AND
STAFF IN SACRAMENTO, WE HAVE AN
AFFILIATE, A NETWORK OF 69
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. VÀ I'VE BEEN
ADVOCATING FOR ISSUES IMPACTING
LATINOS FOR 14 YEARS, AND I'M
HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF SB 1211
BECAUSE IT WILL PROVIDE MORE
FLEXIBILITY FOR ADU
CONFIGURATION ON UNDER UTILIZED
MULTIFAMILY SITES, ADDING TO THE
STATE'S HOUSING SUPPLY. IT IS
ESSENTIAL FOR CALIFORNIA'S
ECONOMY TO SEE THAT LATINOS IN
CALIFORNIA HAVE ACCESS TO
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. LATINOS MAKE
UP 40% OF THE STATE'S
POPULATION, AND IN OUR REPORT,
BUILDING CALIFORNIA'S FUTURE
LATINO HOME OWNERSHIP, UNIDOS
FOUND THAT BETWEEN 2010 AND
2021, LATINOS ACCOUNTED FOR
75.6% OF THE CALIFORNIA'S
POPULATION GROWTH. WE ALSO FOUND
THAT LATINOS MAKE UP 30% OF THE
STATE'S TOTAL HOUSEHOLDS, AND
SINCE 2010, THE LATINO COMMUNITY
HAS ADDED 82% OF NEW NET
HOUSEHOLDS IN THE STATE. IN A
RECENTLY PUBLISHED SURVEY, WE
PUBLISHED IT JUST YESTERDAY ON
THE, ECONOMIC SECURITY OF
LATINOS. WE FOUND THAT 54% OF
CALIFORNIA LATINOS SURVEYED WERE
CONCERNED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO
MAKE THEIR RENT OR MORTGAGE
PAYMENT NEXT MONTH. THIS IS IN
LINE WITH A POLL THAT WE
CONDUCTED IN DECEMBER OF LAST
YEAR, IN WHICH WE FOUND THAT
LATINO VOTERS IN CALIFORNIA,
LISTED HOUSING AS ONE. HOUSING
COST IS ONE OF THEIR TOP
CONCERNS. RUNS SB 1211 PROVIDES
BUILDERS MORE FLEXIBILITY TO
BUILD ADUS ON UNDERUTILIZED
MULTIFAMILY PARCELS, CREATING AN
OPPORTUNITY TO GENTLY INCREASE
DENSITY AND ADD TO CALIFORNIA'S
HOUSING SUPPLY. 10S THANK YOU
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS
IMPORTANT MATTER, AND I
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR VOTE
IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. ARE THERE ANY
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HERE IN
SUPPORT OF SB 1211? MR. CHAIR
MEMBERS, I'M JIM FINNEGAN
REPRESENTING AARP, AND WE ARE
DEFINITELY IN SUPPORT OF THE
BILL BECAUSE IT INCREASES
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. THAT'S GREAT. GOOD
MORNING, CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE, JORDAN, LEGISLATIVE
ADVOCATE FOR CALIFORNIA YIMBY
HERE IN STRONG SUPPORT AS A
PROUD CO-SPONSOR OF THE BILL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, BOB NAYLOR
FOR FIELDSTEAD AND COMPANY IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU, CATHERINE
CHARLES, ON BEHALF OF HOUSING
ACTION COALITION AND SUPPORT,
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, CHAIR
AND MEMBERS, SUSAN MADDEN OUT
HERE ON BEHALF OF CALIFORNIA
COMMUNITY BUILDERS AND SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. MARY ELLEN SHEA,
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL
HOUSING FINANCE AGENCIES AND
SUPPORT, MR. CHAIR MICHAEL
GUNNING, LIGHTHOUSE PUBLIC
AFFAIRS HERE ON BEHALF OF SPUR
BUILD CASA AND EDEN HOUSING AND
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. ARE THERE ANY
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION WISHING
TO PROVIDE ANY TESTIMONY?
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND MEMBERS
AGAIN, BRADY GUERTIN ON BEHALF
OF THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA
CITIES AND RESPECTFUL
OPPOSITION, APOLOGIES. WE
WEREN'T ABLE TO GET A LETTER IN.
MISSED IT. WITH ALL THE BILLS
COMING FROM THE ASSEMBLY OR THE
SENATE SIDE. SO OUR APOLOGIES.
WE HAVE INFORMED THE AUTHOR'S
OFFICE OF OUR CONCERNS. BIG
CONCERN. JUST THE MINISTERIAL
APPROVAL PROCESS. WE UNDERSTAND
ADUS HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
THEY'VE BEEN VERY HELPFUL. BUT
WE ARE CONCERNED THAT EXTENDING
IT TO UP TO EIGHT DETACHED UNITS
IN MULTIFAMILY COMPLEXES
MINISTERIALLY TO WITHOUT YOU
KNOW, DISCRETION OR PERMIT OR
REVIEW ABOUT IT IS CONCERNING
FOR THE FACT THAT THE
DEVELOPMENT WAS NOT MEANT TO
ACCOUNT FOR THAT MANY UNITS
UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S VERY
GOOD INTENTIONS WITH ADUS. WE
SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADUS
IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ARE
CONCERNED THAT THE ABILITY OF
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO NOT REVIEW
FOR THE COMMUNITY SERVICES
NEEDED. THE LIMITS ON PARKING
THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT ARE ALREADY
REQUIRED BY ADU LAW. WE'RE
CONCERNED THAT WE INCREASE
RESIDENTS. WE WON'T HAVE THE
SERVICES THAT ARE BENEFICIAL TO
THE EXISTING RESIDENTS, SO LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE
AUTHOR'S OFFICE. AND AGAIN,
APOLOGIES ON THE DELAYED
OPPOSITION ON THIS ONE. THANK
YOU. NO PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TESTIMONY TODAY. IS THERE
ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
HERE IN OPPOSITION WISHING TO BE
ON RECORD? OKAY. SEEING NONE,
WE'LL TURN IT BACK TO MEMBER
COMMENTS ON THE DAIS. AS VICE
CHAIR, PATTERSON. GREAT. THANK
YOU. QUESTION. SO IN I'M JUST
THINKING OF A MULTIFAMILY LIKE,
HIGH DENSITY PROJECT, AN
APARTMENT COMPLEX, FOR EXAMPLE,
THIS IS APPLICABLE TO THOSE AS
WELL. I ASSUME? YES. OKAY, SO IN
MY CITY, YOU KNOW, THE, AND SO
ALL THE ADU LAWS WOULD APPLY IN
TERMS, I ASSUME, IN TERMS OF
CONNECTION FEES. AND YES, THIS
DOESN'T ELIMINATE ANY OF THOSE.
OKAY. RIGHT. YOU KNOW, I CAN I'M
JUST THINKING ABOUT THINKING
THIS THROUGH A LITTLE BIT WHERE
THERE'S, A HIGH DENSITY PROJECT.
AND I THINK FOR THE MOST PART,
IT MIGHT NOT BE, YOU KNOW, GREAT
BUSINESS IN SOME AREAS WHERE THE
APARTMENT OWNERS ARE, YOU KNOW,
ELIMINATING ALL THEIR PARKING
FOR 80 YEARS. RIGHT PROBABLY
MIGHT GET BE HARD TO GET TENANTS
AT SOME POINT IF THEY DID THAT
ON ALL THE PARKING SPOTS. BUT
THERE'S A SPECIAL DISTRICT IN MY
CITY THAT CHARGES $15,000 PER
UNIT, WHETHER YOU'RE A 1000
SQUARE FOOT APARTMENT OR A
100,000 SQUARE FOOT MANSION I
HOPE TO LIVE IN ONE DAY, AND
IT'S THE SAME CONNECTION FEE. NO
MATTER WHAT IT IS. BUT IT DOES
KIND OF RAISE A LITTLE BIT OF,
JUST IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE
HOW IT PLAYS OUT IN TERMS OF HOW
APARTMENT OWNERS AND MANAGERS
WILL DO THIS, BECAUSE IF THEY'RE
DOING, LET'S SAY, 20 UNITS ON A
LOT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU
KNOW, THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT
POTENTIAL IMPACT, YOU KNOW, TO
THE CONNECTIONS THAT THEY'RE
GOING TO, WHETHER THAT'S A SEWER
SYSTEM OR, OR SOMETHING LIKE
THAT. SO, NOW I WOULD SAY
OBVIOUSLY CONSISTENT, YOU KNOW,
EXISTING LAW WITH SINGLE FAMILY.
I MEAN, EVERY HOUSE IN A
NEIGHBORHOOD CAN PUT UP, YOU
KNOW, AN ADU AND WE OBVIOUSLY
DON'T CHARGE THOSE FEES. AND I
THINK THAT'S A GOOD POLICY. SO I
DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY
RESPONSE TO THAT. IT WOULD JUST
BE KIND OF INTERESTING TO SEE
HOW THIS ROLLS OUT ON THE
APARTMENT SIDE. BUT BUT SURE.
YEAH. SO, I, I, THE BILL
ORIGINALLY WOULD HAVE ALLOWED
FOR MORE DETACHED, ADUS THAN
WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU. NOW
WE'RE REALLY TALKING THE REAL
CHANGES. NO MORE THAN EIGHT.
THAT WOULD BE MINISTERIAL IF THE
OWNER WANTED TO DO MORE. OF
COURSE THEY CAN GO TO THE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT, AND THE REASON I WAS
OPEN AND WANTED TO DO MORE IS
BECAUSE, AS IN THIS CASE, AS YOU
POINTED OUT, IF I'M THE OWNER OF
THE PROPERTY AND IT'S A
MULTIFAMILY AND LET'S SAY IT'S A
RENTAL, I'M I STILL WANT TO HAVE
MY BUSINESS SUCCESSFUL. AND IF
MY REMOVING OF CERTAIN AMENITIES
IS GOING TO CAUSE PEOPLE NOT TO
RENT MY UNITS, I MEAN THAT I'M
NOT GOING TO CUT OFF MY NOSE TO
SPITE MY FACE. RIGHT? AND
NOBODY'S FORCING ANYONE TO DO
THESE. THESE ARE PURELY IT'S
ALLOWING FOR IF AN OWNER SEES.
WOW. YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT THIS
TOTALLY UNDERUTILIZED SPACE THAT
I COULD OFFER, SOME HOUSING
UNITS TO. AND IT WOULD, IT WILL
BE ATTRACTIVE. I'LL BE ABLE TO
RENT IT. OR IF IT'S A CONDO
PROJECT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF
MINIMIZE IT. I HAVE A HOME
OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY, BUT I'M
NOT GOING TO DO THAT IF IT
AFFECTS MY, MY ABILITY TO HAVE
MY BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, OPERATE.
AND I HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE TO GO
ON A TOUR, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO
IN MY IN MY AREA, NOT JUST MY
DISTRICT, BUT ON A NUMBER OF,
MULTIFAMILY OWNERS. AND SOME OF
THEM WERE SO ONE OF THE PROJECTS
I LOOKED AT, IT WAS A SMALL IT
WAS NOT A HUGE, DEVELOPMENT
COMPANY THAT OWNED MANY, MANY IT
WAS IT WAS A AN EFFECT FAMILY
BUSINESS. THEY OWNED TWO
MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES, BUT THEY
SHOWED ME WHERE THEY HAD
CONVERTED SOME, WITHIN THE
BUILDING ENVELOPE WHERE THEY HAD
DONE SOME CONVERSIONS TO CREATE
ADUS AND THEN WHAT THEY WOULD IF
THEY COULD, IF THE LAW WERE
CHANGED, WHAT SPOTS ON THE
PROPERTY THEY WOULD CONVERT. AND
THEY WERE VERY CLEAR. THEY'RE
LIKE, NO, NO WAY. WE WOULD NEVER
TAKE UP ALL THE PARKING BECAUSE
THAT'S PART OF THE AMENITY THAT
MAKES OUR FACILITY ATTRACTIVE.
SO WE JUST WOULD DO IT HERE,
HERE AND THERE. SO ANYWAY, IT
WAS A VERY INTERESTING THING.
AND YOU KNOW THAT THE OWNER IS
ALWAYS LOOKING AT THEIR BOTTOM
LINE. SO SO ANYWAY, BACK TO THE
MAIN POINT IS THIS ONLY ALLOWS
MINISTERIALLY UP TO EIGHT. NOT
MORE ANYTHING BEYOND THAT
DETACHED, EIGHT DETACHED,
ANYTHING BEYOND THAT WOULD HAVE
TO GO THROUGH THE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT PROCESS. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS WISHING TO
COMMENT? DO WE HAVE A MOTION BY
MISS QUIRK-SILVA AND A SECOND BY
MR. GRAYSON, SENATOR, I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS BILL
FORWARD, I RECOGNIZE THAT AS
MUCH AS THE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN
WORKING ON STREAMLINING ADU
POLICIES, THEY'RE NOW
RESPONSIBLE FOR ABOUT 1 IN 5,
NEW HOME STARTS. SO WE'RE TRYING
TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON A MODEL
THAT WE KNOW IS WORKING IN
PRACTICE AND RECOGNIZING THAT AS
THIS IS IMPLEMENTING AND AS THE
YEARS ARE GOING FORWARD, YOUR
OWN OBSERVATIONS ARE, I THINK,
CONSISTENT WITH OTHER, YOU KNOW,
KIND OF KIND OF NEW BARRIERS
THAT WE ARE SEEING OUT IN THE
LANDSCAPE RIGHT NOW THAT THAT
DESERVE A LITTLE RELAX AND TO BE
ABLE TO PRODUCE SOMETHING THAT
WE KNOW IS WORKING IN PRACTICE.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
CONTINUED LEADERSHIP ON THAT AND
INVITE YOU TO CLOSE. THANK YOU.
GOOD DISCUSSION. I ASK FOR YOUR
I VOTE. THANK YOU. SENATOR,
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ACTION TO PASS TO THE
COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT
WARD A WARD. I PERSON PERSON I
GRAYSON I GRAYSON I COLLURA LEE
LI I QUIRK-SILVA I QUIRK-SILVA I
REYES SANCHEZ. SANCHEZ. NO
HANEY. HANEY I SIX. WE ARE AT 6
TO 1. THAT BILL WILL BE OUT AND
I'M GOING TO HOLD THE ROLL OPEN
FOR ABSENT MEMBERS. GREAT. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. AND NEXT I SEE
SENATOR CABALLERO IS HERE WHO
HAS TWO BILLS BEFORE THIS
COMMITTEE. I'LL INVITE YOU TO
CHOOSE WHICH YOU'D LIKE TO
PRESENT FIRST. AND WHEN YOU'RE
READY, BEGIN PRESENTATION. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR. I'LL
START WITH FILE NUMBER EIGHT. SB
37. SO THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT SB 37,
WHICH WILL WILL CREATE A PROGRAM
TO PROVIDE HOUSING SUBSIDIES TO
SENIOR ADULTS AND ADULTS WITH
DISABILITIES WHO ARE EXPERIENCED
OR AT RISK OF EXPERIENCING
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
CALIFORNIANS ON A FIXED INCOME
FIND IT DIFFICULT TO AFFORD THE
RAPIDLY RISING RENT INCREASES,
AS MANY OF THESE CALIFORNIANS
HAVE SPENT THEIR ENTIRE LIVES
WORKING AT LOW WAGE, JOBS WHERE
THEY EARN A VERY SMALL PENSION,
IF AT ALL, OR THEY DEPEND ON
SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS THAT
ARE CLEARLY UN ON INADEQUATE TO
COVER RISING RENTS AS A RESULT,
THESE ADULTS FACE HOUSING
INSECURITY AND ARE ONE EMERGENCY
AWAY FROM DISASTER FOR EXTREMELY
LOW INCOME RENTERS. ROUGHLY
EIGHT OUT OF TEN SPEND 50% OF
THEIR INCOME ON RENT. PEOPLE
WITH DISABILITIES COMPRISE ABOUT
46% OF THOSE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS, AND AFRICAN
AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS ARE MORE
THAN FIVE TIMES AS LIKELY TO
EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS. WHEN
COMPARED TO THE GENERAL
POPULATION. THE SAC BEE JUST
CAME OUT WITH A REPORT WITHIN
THE PAST FEW DAYS THAT TALKED
ABOUT THE INEQUITY AMONG
DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS, AND
AFRICAN AMERICANS FARE VERY
POORLY AND NATIVE AMERICANS FARE
EVEN WORSE. SO IT'S A CRISIS
SITUATION. THÀNH, AND QUITE
FRANKLY, HOW WE TREAT OUR
SENIORS IS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE
OF HOW KIND OF THE CARE THAT WE
HAVE IN OUR SOCIETY FOR, GETTING
OLD. AND IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS
THAT THIS, REALLY TUGS AT MY
HEART. BASICALLY, IF WE DO
NOTHING, THE SENIOR ADULT
HOMELESS POPULATION IS EXPECTED
TO TRIPLE BETWEEN 2017 AND 2030,
LEAVING VULNERABLE SENIORS ON
THE STREET. I MEAN, IT'S HARD
ENOUGH TO SEE PEOPLE ON THE
STREET, BUT THEN TO SEE AS MANY
SENIORS AS WE HAVE, IT'S REALLY,
REALLY, UNTENABLE. THERE ARE
TARGETED PROGRAMS SUCH AS HOME
SAFE PROGRAM AND HOMELESSNESS
AND DISABILITY ADVOCACY PROGRAM,
WHICH REALLY PLAY AN IMPORTANT
ROLE IN HOUSING. SENIORS AND
INCLUDING THE ADULT PROTECTIVE
SERVICE CLIENTS THAT ARE
ELIGIBLE FOR SSI PAYMENTS.
HOWEVER, NO COMPREHENSIVE STATE
PROGRAM EXISTS THAT PROVIDES
HOUSING SUBSIDY FOR OLDER AND
DISABLED ADULTS WHO ARE ON FIXED
INCOME INCOME. MEANWHILE, THE
HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS AND
OTHER FEDERALLY SUBSIDIZED
HOUSING PROGRAMS OFTEN TAKE
YEARS FOR APPLICANTS TO END UP
ON THE LIST, AND IN THE MEANTIME
, WE CONTINUE TO SEE THE
HOMELESS SENIOR POPULATION RISE.
SB 37 WILL PROVIDE A RENTAL
SUBSIDY TARGETED TO THESE ADULTS
WHO ARE HOMELESS OR AT RISK OF
HOMELESSNESS, AND IT WOULD
ESTABLISH A SPECIAL UNIT WITHIN
THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, TO OFFER
COMPETITIVE GRANTS TO
NONPROFITS. CONTINUUM OF CARES
AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WITH THE
RESOURCES, EXPERTISE, AND
CULTURAL COMPETENCIES TO PROVIDE
ASSISTANCE TO SENIORS, SO,
REALLY IMPORTANT, OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S REALLY BASED ON A
RECOMMENDATION BY A COALITION
THAT HAS BEEN LOOKING AT SENIOR
HOMELESSNESS, WITH ME TODAY TO
TESTIFY IS MEGAN ROSE FROM
LEADING AGE CALIFORNIA, AND
WALLACE RICHARDSON, A PERSON WHO
LIVES WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE AND
ON THE LIVED EXPERIENCE POLICY
ADVISORY BOARD. THANK YOU.
WHOEVER WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST?
YES. GOOD MORNING. I AM WALLACE
RICHARDSON, AND I AM FROM SILVER
LAKE, AND I'M 71 YEARS OLD AND
I'VE BEEN HOUSED FOR 12 YEARS
NOW. MY LIVED EXPERIENCE IS I
WAS 57 YEARS OLD WHEN I BECAME
HOMELESS. MY LIFE WAS PRIMARILY
TAKING CARE OF MY MOM, WORKING,
CLEANING, TAKING HER TO HER
DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS. MY MOM
PASSED AWAY. I WAS ALONE AND WAS
RENT WAS DUE $1,800 AND I DIDN'T
HAVE THE MONEY AND DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT TO DO. I DIDN'T WANT TO BE
EVICTED SO I THOUGHT I WOULD
MOVE INTO MY TRUCK. IT WAS
POSSIBLE TO MOVE INTO HOUSING
THROUGH VARIOUS AGENCIES,
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SOCIAL
SERVICES, GATEWAY HOMELESS
HEALTH CARE AND PATH. AFTER
MOVING INTO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING, I GAINED PEACE OF MIND.
I FELT SAFE, I FELT PART OF THE
COMMUNITY AGAIN. I FELT MORE
STABLE. I FEEL VERY HOPEFUL FOR
THE FUTURE. I AM HERE TODAY
SPEAKING BECAUSE I WANT TO URGE
YOU TO SUPPORT SENATE BILL 37
FOR RENTAL SUBSIDIES FOR OLDER
ADULTS AND PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES AND HOUSING
STABILITY Kò WITH AN AFFORDABLE
PLACE TO LIVE, I WAS ABLE TO
SLEEP IN A BED, USE A RENT, USE
A RESTROOM, COOK MY MEALS,
THRIVE AND NOT JUST SURVIVE. I
AM ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL, WORK,
SET GOALS, THE LESSONS I LEARNED
FROM BEING HOMELESS ARE I HAVE A
CHOICE ABOUT MY LIFE. THERE IS A
DIRECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE
THOUGHTS I THINK AND THE
EXPERIENCES I EXPERIENCE. AS I
CLOSE AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO
RESTATE THAT I AM ASKING YOU TO
SUPPORT SENATE BILL 37. GOOD
MORNING. MY NAME IS MEGAN ROSE.
I'M WITH LEADINGAGE, CALIFORNIA
LEADINGAGE CALIFORNIA REPRESENTS
OVER 800 NONPROFITS ACROSS THE
STATE THAT SERVE OLDER ADULTS IN
VARIOUS CAPACITIES, INCLUDING
OVER 400 PROVIDERS OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING FOR OLDER ADULTS, AS AS
YOU'VE HEARD, OLDER ADULTS ARE
BECOMING UNHOUSED IN RECORD
NUMBERS. WALLACE'S STORY IS FAR
TOO COMMON. ONE OF THE LEADING
CAUSES REYES OF OLDER ADULTS
BECOMING UNHOUSED IS THAT THEY
WERE A CARETAKER TO AN AGING
PARENT WHO PASSED AWAY AND LEFT
THEM WITHOUT HOUSING, THE MAIN
REASON THAT OLDER ADULTS ARE
BECOMING UNHOUSED IS JUST DUE TO
SIMPLE INCOME INEQUALITY. WE
HAVE SEEN IN CALIFORNIA THAT OUR
COST, OUR HOUSING COSTS AND
COSTS OF LIVING HAVE INCREASED
FAR BEYOND, THE AMOUNT THAT OUR
FIXED INCOMES HAVE INCREASED. ON
AVERAGE, IT TAKES TWO YEARS FROM
THE TIME OF BECOMING UNHOUSED
BEFORE AN OLDER ADULT STARTS
ACCESSING SERVICES. AND THIS IS
COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT MANY
OLDER ADULTS WHO SUFFER VERY
COMMON, MEDICAL ISSUES, SUCH AS
INCONTINENCE, ARE BEING TURNED
AWAY FROM SHELTERS. THIS IS
LEADING TO US CREATING MORE AND
MORE OLDER ADULTS WHO ARE
CHRONICALLY HOMELESS, WHO ARE
BECOMING HIGH UTILIZERS OF OUR
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, AND WHOSE
FUNCTIONAL HEALTH STATUS IS AN
AGE MUCH HIGHER THAN THEIR OWN
AGE. CALIFORNIA'S MASTER PLAN
FOR AGING CALLS OUT HOUSING AND
HOMELESSNESS AS A KEY
INITIATIVE, AND MULTIPLE STATE
COMMITTEES, INCLUDING THE MPA
IMPACT COMMITTEE AND THE
DISABILITY AND AGING COMMUNITY
LIVING ADVISORY COMMITTEE, HAVE
IDENTIFIED TARGETED RENTAL
SUBSIDIES, SUCH AS THAT
IDENTIFIED IN SB 37, AS THE TOP
NEED FOR OLDER CALIFORNIANS. WE
URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THIS BILL,
WHICH WOULD TURN THE TIDE ON THE
GROWING POPULATION OF OLDER
ADULT HOMELESSNESS BY CREATING A
THREE YEAR RENT STABILIZATION
PILOT IN UP TO FIVE COUNTIES.
THE BILL HAS BEEN FINE TUNED
OVER THREE YEARS OF WORK BY A
COALITION OF HOUSING AND
HOMELESS SERVICES PROVIDERS AND
EXPERTS. IT INCLUDES SAFEGUARDS
TO ENSURE THAT THE FUNDS GO TO
THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST. IT ALSO
REQUIRES THE STATE TO WORK WITH
THE LOCAL FAS TO REMOVE TO MOVE
SUBSIDY RECIPIENTS INTO LONG
TERM HUD SUBSIDIES, SUCH AS
VOUCHERS OR PROJECT BASED
SUBSIDIES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP IN THIS SPACE AND WE
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
WISHING TO EXPRESS SUPPORT ON SB
37? THANK YOU. VANESSA KHN. ON
BEHALF OF CAL PACE, THE
STATEWIDE ASSOCIATION OF
PROGRAMS OF ALL INCLUSIVE CARE
FOR THE ELDERLY HERE IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. MR. CHAIR MEMBERS,
I'M JIM FINNEGAN, REPRESENTING
AARP AND AS AS THE MOST OF OUR
3.2 MILLION CALIFORNIA MEMBERS
ARE SENIORS OR DISABLED. SO THIS
BILL PROVIDES AFFORDABLE HOUSING
FOR THOSE PEOPLE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS
MICHAEL GUNNING, LIGHTHOUSE
PUBLIC AFFAIRS, ON BEHALF OF
UNITED WAY OF GREATER LOS
ANGELES, THE SAN DIEGO HOUSING
COMMISSION, IF I MAY. VÌ
WALLACE, THANK YOU. THAT WAS
AWESOME TESTIMONY AND VERY MUCH
APPRECIATED IN SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, DYLAN
ELLIOTT, ON BEHALF OF THE
COUNTIES OF FRESNO, MADERA, THE
CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN
FRANCISCO, AND THE CITIES OF LOS
ANGELES AND SANTA MONICA ALL IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, YASMIN PELLETT, ON
BEHALF OF JUSTICE AND AGING, A
CO-SPONSOR OF THE MEASURE AND
STRONG SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. PATRICIA CHADWICK FROM THE
CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE OF RETIRED
AMERICANS AND LIVING IN
SACRAMENTO. I STRONGLY SUPPORT
THIS. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING,
ALEJANDRO SOLIS, ON BEHALF OF
THE MEXICAN AMERICAN OPPORTUNITY
FOUNDATION IN SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. AND MARK STIVERS
WITH THE CALIFORNIA HOUSING
PARTNERSHIP IN SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING. CHAIR
MEMBERS. CATHERINE CHARLES, ON
BEHALF OF HOUSING CALIFORNIA IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. JOSH GAGER
ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
COMMUNITY LIVING NETWORK AND THE
COUNTY WELFARE DIRECTORS
ASSOCIATION IN SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING, JARED MOSS,
ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF LONG
BEACH, SUPPORT, GOOD MORNING.
ELIZABETH FUNKE ON BEHALF OF
DIGNITY MOVES AND SUPPORT. THANK
YOU, ROBERT COPELAND, MEMBER OF
KARA AND SUPPORT THE SITE
COALITION. STRONG SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. CINDY YOUNG, VICE PRESIDENT
OF CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE FOR
RETIRED AMERICANS AND STRONG
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. WE HAVE NO
REGISTERED OPPOSITION ON FILE.
IS THERE ANYBODY IN OPPOSITION
WISHING TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY OR
A STATEMENT OF POSITION? OKAY.
SEEING NONE, WE'LL TURN TO
MEMBER COMMENTS. AS SOME MEMBER
QUIRK-SILVA, I WANT TO NOT ONLY
MOVE THE BILL, BUT SHOW STRONG
SUPPORT FOR THIS BILL, THIS YEAR
ON OUR SIDE, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
RICK SCARBOROUGH AND MYSELF HAVE
BEEN WORKING ON SOME SIMILAR
IDEAS, BUT IT'S REALLY ON THE
IDEA OF PREVENTION RELATED TO
HOMELESSNESS. AND WE'VE SEEN ALL
TOO OFTEN IN QUITE A LOT OF
FUNDING GOING INTO, HOMELESS
SHELTERS, GOING INTO, HOUSING.
AND WE HAVEN'T ALWAYS SEEN THE
RESULTS. WE HAVE WANTED TO SEE.
AND GOING BACK TO THIS THIRD
IDEA, IF YOU WANT TO SAY PILLAR,
WHICH IS PREVENTION. SO WHETHER
IT'S A SUBSIDY, WHETHER IT'S
HOUSING ASSISTANCE, WE KNOW ALL
TOO OFTEN THERE ARE VERY LIMITED
RESOURCES RELATED TO VOUCHERS
AND SO FORTH. SO THIS TYPE OF
LEGISLATION REALLY COULD MOVE
THE NEEDLE TO KEEP PEOPLE HOUSED
ONCE THEY, BECOME HOMELESS. WE
ALREADY KNOW THAT IT IS
INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO MOVE
THEM OUT OF THAT, AREA. THEY ARE
ONCE THEY GET AN EVICTION, ALL
OF THESE THINGS. SO NOT ONLY DO
I SUPPORT IT, WOULD ACT ASK TO
BE AN AUTHOR OR WITH YOU ON A
JOINT OR PRINCIPLE. WHATEVER BUT
VERY HAPPY TO SEE THIS
LEGISLATION. THANK YOU, THANK
YOU. SOME MEMBER AND ANY I SEE
NO OTHER MEMBERS. OKAY. WE HAVE
A SECOND BY MISS REYES. NO OTHER
MEMBERS COMMENTS. MR. GRAYSON, I
ALSO WANT TO THANK THE AUTHOR
FOR THIS MUCH NEEDED LEGISLATION
ON THE BILL, AND I WOULD BE
HONORED TO BE ADDED ON AS WELL.
THANK YOU. SEEING NO OTHER MISS
REYES, I'D LOVE TO BE A CO
AUTHOR ALSO, BUT WE KNOW THAT
AND I MISSED THE TESTIMONY. I'M
SORRY, BUT, SENIORS THAT THAT'S
THE GROUP THAT'S EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS AT A GREATER RATE
THAN ANY OTHER GROUP. AND WE
ABSOLUTELY OWE IT TO THEM AND
THOSE WITH DISABILITIES TO DO
MORE. AND I THINK MAKING BEING
VERY, VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT
AS AS YOU ARE DOING HERE, I
THINK IS AN IMPORTANT STEP,
TALKS ABOUT OUR VALUES AS
CALIFORNIA WHEN WE'RE SAYING
THIS IS THESE ARE TWO GROUPS
THAT WE'RE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO
PROTECT. THEY ABSOLUTELY DESERVE
OUR PROTECTION. YEAH. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND NOW,
SEEING NO MEMBERS WISHING TO
FURTHER ADDRESS, SENATOR, I WANT
TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS
BILL FORWARD, AS YOU HAVE DONE
IN THE PAST, TO BE ABLE TO
SUPPORT AND HIGHLIGHT AND
ADDRESS THE NEEDS FOR AGING
CALIFORNIANS, WE RECOGNIZE THAT
THEY ARE A GROWING PART OF OUR
HOMELESS POPULATION. AND I THINK
TO YOUR OPENING STATEMENT, I
AGREE STRONGLY THAT IT IS A
TRAVESTY AND SPEAKS, YOU KNOW,
VERY CLEARLY ON US WHERE OUR
VALUES ARE AND WHAT WE SHOULD BE
PRIORITIZING WITH THE WORK THE
PUBLIC WORK THAT WE DO. SO I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
PRIORITIZING THIS PROGRAM AS
WELL. I THINK IT'LL ADD VALUE.
AND I INVITE YOU TO CLOSE. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. MR. CHAIR, AND I
APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS. AND
LET ME JUST SAY THAT I, I AGREE
WITH THE, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
QUIRK-SILVA. I THINK AT SOME
POINT WE NEED TO PUT TOGETHER A
GROUP THAT LOOKS AT ALL OF OUR
HOUSING FUNDS TO FIGURE OUT
WHICH ARE THE ONES THAT ARE
ACTUALLY WHERE WE HAVE PROOF
THAT THEY WORK, AND WHICH ARE
THE ONES WE NEED TO SWEEP INTO A
DIFFERENT CATEGORY AND PUT THEM
TO WORK THIS, THIS, IS A NEW
CATEGORY OF SPENDING, AND WE'RE
TRYING TO STAY AWAY FROM THAT
THIS YEAR, PARTICULARLY WITH THE
BUDGET. BUT WHAT IT WHAT WHAT
ALL OF OUR RESEARCH SHOWS IS
THAT WHEN YOU MAKE THE
INVESTMENT ON PREVENTION, YOU
SAVE IT ON THE ON THE OTHER END
WITH THE REDUCTION IN,
HOSPITALIZATIONS, MEDICAL
SERVICES, THE MONEY THAT WE'RE
SPENDING ON SHELTERS THAT REALLY
AREN'T, IT'S NOT WHERE PEOPLE
WANT TO LIVE, AND SO, I WOULD
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR. AYE,
VOTE TODAY. THANK YOU. MADAM
SECRETARY. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ACTION TO PASS TO THE COMMITTEE
ON AGING AND LONG TERM CARE.
WARD A WARD I PATTERSON.
GRAYSON. GRAYSON. AYE. CORA. LEE
LÀ. AYE. QUIRK-SILVA.
QUIRK-SILVA. AYE. REYES REYES.
AYE. SANCHEZ. SANCHEZ AYE.
HANEY. HANEY. AYE THANK YOU.
THAT BILL IS OUT. SEVEN ZERO.
WE'LL HOLD THE ROLL OPEN FOR
ABSENT MEMBERS. I KNOW SENATOR
KABIRU HAS ONE MORE BILL TO
PRESENT AT THIS TIME. I'D LIKE
TO ALSO ASK THE STAFF OF SENATOR
BECKER TO ENCOURAGE HIM TO COME
TO OUR ROOM, AS HE WILL BE
PRESENTING OUR LAST BILL,
SENATOR, WITH THAT, YOU HAVE
ITEM NUMBER 899, SB 1123. YES.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AND
MEMBERS, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PRESENT SB 1123, FIRST, LET ME
THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR THEIR
WORK ON THE AMENDMENTS, AND I'LL
BE ACCEPTING THE COMMITTEE
AMENDMENTS. SB 1123 BUILDS UPON
WORK THAT I DID LAST YEAR, AND,
FRANKLY, IT WAS A BILL THAT THE
SPEAKER RAN AND, AND DID NOT
FINISH, AND THE BILL WOULD
STREAMLINE THE PROCESS FOR
COMMUNITIES TO BUILD SMALL
BEALL, SMALL SCALE, MORE
AFFORDABLE INFILL HOME OWNERSHIP
PROJECTS. SO I WANT TO EMPHASIZE
THE INFILL, BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN
SOME CONCERNS THAT WE'RE GOING
TO GO OUT ON TO, VACANT LAND
OUTSIDE OF COMMUNITIES. AND
THAT'S NOT THE INTENTION AT ALL,
THE HIGH COST OF HOUSING
CONSTRUCTION AND THE REGULATORY
DELAYS HAS CONTRIBUTED TO OUR,
LACK OF AFFORDABILITY AND
BECAUSE SUPPLY SIMPLY HAS NOT
KEPT PACE WITH DEMAND, THIS
CONSTRUCTION GRIDLOCK CONTINUES
TO DRIVE UP HOUSING COSTS AND
DRIVE DOWN HOMEOWNERSHIP RATES.
THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS HAS
BECOME SO EXTREME THAT HOMES NOW
COST MORE THAN 8.5 TIMES THE
AVERAGE FAMILY SALARY. BUT JUST
LIKE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY HAS
DRIVEN HOME OWNERSHIP RATES DOWN
FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, LOCAL
PLANNING RULES HAVE ALSO CREATED
BARRIERS TO HOMEOWNERSHIP. MANY
COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE
HAVE ENACTED POLICIES THAT
RESTRICT DENSER DEVELOPMENT IN
SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS,
WHICH PREVENTS THE CONSTRUCTION
OF SMALLER STARTER HOMES.
WORKING FAMILIES CAN AFFORD THE
AMERICAN DREAM OF HOME OWNERSHIP
IS NOW OUT OF REACH FOR MANY
FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY FAMILIES OF
COLOR. TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES,
LAST YEAR I AUTHORED SB 684 TO
STREAMLINE THE SUBDIVISION OF
PARCELS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF
SMALL SCALE HOME OWNERSHIP
PROJECTS OF UP TO TEN UNITS IN
INFILL PARCELS. AND THE REASON
I'M SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS IS
MY FIRST HOME. WHEN I PURCHASED
IT, WAS A ZERO LOT LINE
CONSTRUCTED HOME, THIS IS WHEN I
WAS WORKING FOR CRLA AND I
THOUGHT I WAS I'M MAKING TONS OF
MONEY BECAUSE I HAD GRADUATED
FROM LAW SCHOOL WITH NO MONEY.
RIGHT. AND I WAS EARNING $13,500
A YEAR AT CRLA. BUT I COULD
AFFORD A HOME BECAUSE, IT WAS A
SMALL LOT SIZE HOME. AND THE
DEVELOPER HAD AN INCENTIVE TO
GET PEOPLE IN HIS HOME SO HE
COULD MOVE ON AND DO MORE, OVER
THE COURSE OF THE FALL, I HEARD
FROM A VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS.
SO, SO WE GOT SB 684, BUT WITH
SOME SIGNIFICANT LIMITATIONS AT
THE LAST MINUTE. THE TWO TWO%
YEAR BILL, A COUPLE OF YEARS
AGO, AND OVER THE COURSE OF LAST
FALL, I HEARD FROM A VARIETY OF
STAKEHOLDERS ON THE NEED TO
INCLUDE IMPORTANT TECHNICAL AND
CLARIFYING CHANGES. SO WE
INCORPORATED THEM INTO THIS BILL
AND THEY CLARIFIED THE
DEFINITION OF HABITABLE SQUARE
FEET, THEY ALLOW HOUSING UNITS
TO BE PART OF A TENANCY IN
COMMON AND CLARIFY THAT WHEN
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHOOSES TO
PERMIT THE CONSTRUCTION OF
ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS, THEY
DON'T COUNT TOWARDS THE PROJECT
TEN UNIT CAP. AND THAT THAT WAS
REAL IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY WHEN
YOU SEE, SENATOR SKINNER COMING
WITH ADUS. THAT DOESN'T THAT
DOESN'T COUNT, TOWARDS THE, TEN
UNIT CAP ON THESE SMALL LOT, LOT
SIZES. ADDITIONALLY SB 1123
REESTABLISHES THE SUBDIVISION
AND PROJECT STREAMLINING
BENEFITS FOR SMALL PROJECTS OF
TEN UNITS OR LESS ON VACANT
PARCELS ZONED FOR SINGLE FAMILY
RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT. THAT
WAS ALWAYS THE PURPOSE OF THE
BILL. SO, I'M COMMITTED TO
UNLOCKING OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD
SMALLER HOMES ON SMALL LOTS TO
INCREASE HOME OWNERSHIP PROJECTS
IN SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS,
WHICH HAVE HAVE A HISTORY OF
EXCLUDING LOW INCOME AND
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. BUT TO
ENSURE THE APPROPRIATE
GUARDRAILS ARE IN PLACE, I'VE
INCLUDED THAT A LOCAL GOVERNMENT
MAY IMPOSE THE SAME HEIGHT
STANDARDS ON THE PROJECT SO THAT
IT DOESN'T LOOK STRANGE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I WOULD ALSO
LIKE TO THANK THE COMMITTEE, THE
COMMITTEE, FOR THE WORK WITH ME
ON AMENDMENTS TO PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL GUARDRAILS, INCLUDING
A MORE DETAILED DEFINITION OF
WHAT CONSTITUTES A VACANT SINGLE
FAMILY PARCEL THAT WOULD BE
ELIGIBLE FOR STREAMLINED
SUBDIVISIONS. THESE GUARDRAILS
WILL UNLOCK HAVE THE POTENTIAL
TO UNLOCK NEW DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITIES, BUT ENSURE THE
CONSISTENT WITH THE SURROUNDING
COMMUNITIES. WITH ME TO TESTIFY
IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL IS ESME
LOPEZ WITH UNIDOSUS AND FRANCIS
MARTY WITH CALIFORNIA YIMBY.
THANK YOU. YOU HAVE UP TO TWO
MINUTES EACH, GOOD MORNING,
CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS ESMERALDA
LOPEZ AND THE CALIFORNIA STATE
DIRECTOR FOR UNIDOS US. AND AS
I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, I'VE BEEN
ADVOCATING ON ISSUES IMPACTING
LATINOS FOR OVER 14 YEARS. AND
UNIDOS US HAS AN AFFILIATE
NETWORK OF 69 COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS. WHAT I DIDN'T
MENTION BEFORE IS THAT OUR
AFFILIATES INVEST MORE THAN 1.9
BILLION IN THE STATE AND EMPLOY
MORE THAN 17,000 STAFF TO
PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES TO 2.6
MILLION CALIFORNIANS ANNUALLY.
AND I'M HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF
1123 BECAUSE IT EXPEDITES THE
BUILDING OF STARTER HOMES BY
ENABLING PRODUCTION OF VARIED
OWNERSHIP MODELS SUCH AS SINGLE
FAMILY HOMES, TOWNHOMES OR
COTTAGE COURTS ON VACANT LOTS
THAT ARE SMALLER AND LESS
EXPENSIVE. UNIDOS US HAS HAD A
LONG TIME COMMITMENT TO HELPING
MORTGAGE READY LATINOS CREATE A
PATHWAY TO HOME OWNERSHIP, AND
WE DO THIS BECAUSE OUR RESEARCH
HAS SHOWN THAT IT'S AN IMPORTANT
AND CRITICAL TOOL TO REDUCING
THE RACIAL AND ETHNIC WEALTH GAP
FOR LATINOS AND CREATING
FINANCIAL STABILITY. HOWEVER,
OUR RESEARCH HAS ALSO SHOWN THAT
CALIFORNIA'S EXTREME HOUSING
SHORTAGE HAS PUT HOMEOWNERSHIP
OUT OF REACH OF MANY. IN OUR
REPORT TITLED BUILDING
CALIFORNIA'S FUTURE LATINO HOME
OWNERSHIP, UNIDOS, US FOUND THAT
THERE ARE 1.9 MILLION MORTGAGE
READY LATINOS IN CALIFORNIA THAT
ARE AGED 18 TO 45. THE HOME
OWNERSHIP RATE, HOWEVER, IS 5%
LOWER FOR LATINOS IN CALIFORNIA
THAN IT IS FOR THE NATION, AND A
NEW UNIDOS US, STUDY THAT WE
PUBLISHED JUST YESTERDAY ON THE
ECONOMIC SECURITY OF LATINOS HAS
FOUND THAT 61% OF THOSE LATINOS
THAT WERE SURVEYED IN
CALIFORNIA, THOUGHT THAT HOME
PRICES WERE THE MAIN REASON THAT
THEY HAD NOT BOUGHT A HOME. THAT
IS IN PART BECAUSE CALIFORNIA
HAS SOME OF THE MOST
UNAFFORDABLE MARKETS IN THE
COUNTRY FOR LATINOS, ACCORDING
TO THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR
HISPANICS REAL ESTATE
PROFESSIONALS, SEVEN OF THE TOP
TEN MOST UNAFFORDABLE MARKETS IN
CALIF FOR LATINOS IS ARE IN
CALIFORNIA, AND GIVEN THE
DEMOGRAPHIC, TRENDS AND ECONOMIC
STATUS OF LATINO, THE LATINO
COMMUNITY IN CALIFORNIA, IT WILL
HAVE AN INCREASING INFLUENCE IN
THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF THE
STATE. THE MATH DRIVING SB 1123
IS SIMPLE. A HOME THAT COSTS
THAT COMES WITH LESS LAND WILL
COST LESS. AND I RESPECTFULLY
REQUEST YOUR VOTE IN SUPPORT OF
THE BILL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
CHAIR AND DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS
OF THE ASSEMBLY HOUSING
COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS FRANCESCA
MARTIN, AND I REPRESENT
CALIFORNIA YIMBY, AN
ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO
ENSURING ABUNDANT, SECURE AND
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR ALL
CALIFORNIANS. I STAND BEFORE YOU
TODAY TO EXPRESS OUR STRONG
SUPPORT OF SB 1123, AUTHORED BY
SENATOR CABALLERO. SB 1123
BUILDS ON THE PROGRESS MADE BY
SB 684, EXTENDING ITS
APPLICABILITY TO VACANT PARCELS
IN SINGLE FAMILY ZONES, ACCESS
TO AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP,
ESPECIALLY IN HIGH OPPORTUNITY
NEIGHBORHOODS, HAS GENERATIONAL
IMPACTS, AND THE LACK OF SUCH
OPPORTUNITIES PERPETUATES THE
LEGACY OF DISCRIMINATORY HOUSING
POLICIES AND CONTINUES TO
SEGREGATE NEIGHBORHOODS BY RACE
AND CLASS. AS ESMERALDA LOPEZ
JUST ALLUDED TO, CALIFORNIA'S
SEVERE HOUSING SHORTAGE
DISPROPORTIONALLY IMPACTS LOW
INCOME FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES
OF COLOR IN 2020, THE AVERAGE
COST OF A HOME WAS 8.5 TIMES A
FAMILY'S ANNUAL SUMMER SALARY,
WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN AND LATINO
HOMEOWNERSHIP RATES SIX LOWER
THAN THOSE OF WHITE CALIFORNIANS
. SB 1123 ADDRESSES THESE
CHALLENGES BY FACILITATING THE
CONSTRUCTION OF SMALLER, MORE
AFFORDABLE HOMES IN HIGH
OPPORTUNITY NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS
BUILD THIS BILL IS ABOUT
BUILDING COMMUNITIES, FOSTERING
DIVERSITY, AND PROMOTING
ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR ALL
CALIFORNIANS. THE CHANGES
PROPOSED IN SB 1123 WILL MAKE
SMALL HOMES FASTER, EASIER, AND
LESS EXPENSIVE TO BUILD.
INCREASING AFFORDABLE HOME
OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR
FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT
BEHIND AND LEFT OUT OF THE
CALIFORNIA DREAM. ON BEHALF OF
CALIFORNIA YIMBY, I URGE YOU TO
VOTE AYE ON SB 1123. LET'S WORK
TOGETHER TO CREATE A CALIFORNIA
THAT WELCOMES EVERYBODY WHERE
EVERY PERSON HAS THE CHANCE TO
LIVE IN A SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOME
IN A THRIVING COMMUNITY. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND
CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. ARE
THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC HERE IN SUPPORT OF SB
1123? MR. CHAIR MEMBERS MICHAEL
GUNNING, LIGHTHOUSE PUBLIC
AFFAIRS HERE ON BEHALF OF UNITED
WAY OF GREATER LOS ANGELES. SPUR
FIELDSTEAD AND COMPANY, AND ALSO
ON BEHALF OF, ONE MORE BUILD
CASA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
CHAIR. AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. SUSAN MEDINA. I'VE
BEEN ASKED TO GIVE A ME TOO. FOR
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY BUILDERS,
THE CENTRAL VALLEY URBAN
INSTITUTE AND LISC SAN DIEGO,
ALL PROUD CO-SPONSORS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING
AGAIN, CHAIR AND MEMBERS,
CATHERINE CHARLES, ON BEHALF OF
HOUSING ACTION COALITION AND
SUPPORT. THANK YOU FOR MEETING
WITH LIGHTHOUSE PUBLIC AFFAIRS,
ON BEHALF OF HABITAT FOR
HUMANITY CALIFORNIA AND SUPPORT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I SEE NO
REGISTERED OPPOSITION ON FILE,
BUT ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC HERE WISHING TO GIVE
OPPOSITION TESTIMONY OR STATE A
POSITION OF OPPOSITION? SEEING
NONE, WE'LL TURN IT BACK TO
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON THE DAIS.
ANY MOTION, MR. PATTERSON?
SORRY. THANKS ALTHOUGH I THINK
WE DID HAVE A MOTION, SO. YEAH.
GREAT. WELL, I APPRECIATE THE,
YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO
DO HERE. THIS ONE, PROBABLY
GOING TO GET ME IN TROUBLE, IN
MY, JURISDICTION. WE HAVE A LOT
OF THESE. I MEAN, WE'RE GOING
FROM BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, AN
UNDEVELOPED TO NOW SUBURBAN
INTERFACE. AND SO WE HAVE A LOT
OF THESE POCKETS WHERE WE HAVE
STILL EIGHT AND A HALF ACRE AND
A HALF FIVE ACRE, YOU KNOW, FIVE
ACRE, TEN ACRE PARCELS THAT ARE
INTENDED FOR 10,000, MINIMUM,
SQUARE FOOT LOTS AND THINGS LIKE
THAT. AND, ACTUALLY, WHEN I WAS
LEAVING THE CITY COUNCIL, HAD A
HAD A KIND OF A ISSUE WITH THE
SIMILAR LAW THAT PASSED A FEW
YEARS AGO THAT, BUT I UNDERSTAND
WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO. IF IT
WAS SORT OF LIMITED TO, YOU
KNOW, CITIES THAT AREN'T
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MY COUNTY
THAT I LIVE IN IS A, YOU KNOW,
PRO HOUSING COUNTY AND, YOU
KNOW, I THINK THAT THEY'VE SHOWN
THAT THEY CAN SORT OF GET THESE
THINGS AND APPROVE THEM. AND SO
BECAUSE THIS APPLIES TO
EVERYBODY. CORRECT? YES. YEAH.
SO IT DOES CONCERN ME,
UNFORTUNATELY, BUT I THINK IT'S,
YOU KNOW, NOT A BAD IDEA FOR
PEOPLE WHO AREN'T MAKING
PROGRESS AND AREN'T DOING WHAT
THEY NEED TO DO. SO SO ANYWAY, I
JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS THAT. SO
THANKS. I APPRECIATE APPRECIATE
IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SEEING
NO OTHER MEMBERS WISHING TO MAKE
COMMENT, SENATOR, I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR THIS WORK,
BUILDING ON SB 684, WHICH I WAS
PROUD TO SUPPORT, LAST YEAR AND
LESSONS LEARNED THROUGH THAT
PROCESS AS WELL. I THINK YOU'RE
TRYING TO REALLY CLOSE SOME OF
THE GAPS THAT WERE DISCOVERED.
YOU HAD TO GET PROGRESS FORWARD,
AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THAT, AND
HERE YOU SORT OF, REVISITING
THIS ISSUE TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE FINISHING THE JOB AND, ALL
OF THE DEEP THOUGHT THAT YOU'VE
PUT INTO THE TECHNICAL LANGUAGE
HERE AND EVERYTHING, I THINK IS
SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO MAKE
THIS, BOTH PRODUCTIVE, BUT ALSO
WORKABLE FOR THE EXISTING
FRAMEWORK. WITH THAT, I INVITE
YOU TO CLOSE. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, MR. CHAIR, THAT THE
CHALLENGE WE HAVE AND I DO
APPRECIATE ASSEMBLY MEMBER
PATTERSON, THE CONCERN YOU HAVE
IS THAT, AND I'VE BEEN A HUGE
SUPPORTER OF THE REALTORS AND
THE BUILDERS, BUT THE HOUSES GET
BIGGER AND BIGGER. AND THE
REASON IS BECAUSE THERE'S A
MARKET FOR IT. PEOPLE ARE
TRAVELING FURTHER AND FURTHER IN
ORDER TO FIND THE HOUSE OF THEIR
DREAMS. AND AND WHEN THAT THEY
CAN AFFORD. THE PROBLEM IS, IS
THAT IN MANY COMMUNITIES,
BUILDING THOSE BIG HOMES DOES
NOTHING FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT
LIVE IN THAT COMMUNITY BECAUSE
THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT, IN MY
DISTRICT AND IN THE TWO SENATE
DISTRICTS THAT I'VE REPRESENTED,
PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING FURTHER AND
FURTHER AND THE HOUSES ARE
GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER. AND
IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE, THE,
THE, THE SQUARE FOOTAGE, IT'S
GONE FROM AROUND 2000FT² A
NUMBER OF YEARS AGO TO NOW. IT'S
3500FT². AND EVERY YEAR IT'S
LIKE TEN FEET BIGGER. BUT AT
THAT PROGRESS OF PROGRESSION
OVER TIME MEANS IT BECOMES THEY
BECOME LESS AND LESS AFFORDABLE.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THE ANECDOTE
ANECDOTES TO THAT IS JUST IT'S
NOT IT'S NOT HUGE. IT'LL MAKE A
SMALL DIFFERENCE. BUT IT GETS
PEOPLE IN THE FIRST HOME THEY
THEY'VE EVER PURCHASED. AND IT
PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
LONG TERM WEALTH FOR THE FAMILY.
AND IF THEY CAN AFFORD TO MOVE
UP, THEY WILL AND THEY'LL SELL
IT, AND SOMEONE ELSE WILL HAVE A
CHANCE TO GET THEIR FOOT IN THE
DOOR AS WELL. SO THESE ARE
REALLY CRITICAL. AND I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR I
VOTE. THANK YOU. MADAM
SECRETARY. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ACTION TO PASS IS AMENDED TO THE
COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
WORD A WORD I. HARRISON.
HARRISON. NO. GRAYSON GRAYSON I
CHOLERA. CHOLERA. I LI LI I
QUIRK-SILVA. QUIRK-SILVA I REYES
. REYES I SANCHEZ. SANCHEZ. NOT
BORING. HANEY HANEY I THAT BILL
IS OUT SEVEN ONE WITH ONE MEMBER
NOT VOTING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
SENATOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
AND OUR LAST ITEM WILL BE ITEM
NUMBER TEN. THIS IS SB 1395 BY
SENATOR BECKER. FOR AND WHEN
YOU'RE READY YOU MAY BEGIN.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'LL TRY
NOT TO LEAN ON THE GLASS IN THE
IN THE ASSEMBLY ROOMS. IT'S VERY
HARD NOT TO. THANK YOU. I'M HERE
TO PRESENT SB 1395, BILL, THAT
WE BELIEVE WILL SAVE LIVES BY
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN
UNSHELTERED AND FINDING
PERMANENT HOUSING. WE ALL KNOW
THAT CALIFORNIA HAS A LARGE
HOMELESS POPULATION. WHAT
PEOPLE, SOMETIMES DON'T KNOW IS
THAT 67% OF OUR HOMELESS
CALIFORNIANS ARE UNSHELTERED,
NATIONALLY. THAT'S 20, NEW YORK
STATE. THAT'S 5, AND, YOU KNOW,
EVERY NIGHT IN OUR CAPITALS, I
WALK HOME TO WHERE I STAY HERE,
YOU KNOW, I, SEE PEOPLE
SUFFERING ON SIDEWALKS, SLEEPING
IN DOORWAYS. IN THE PAST TEN
YEARS, THERE'S BEEN A 238%
INCREASE, ACCORDING TO THE
JOURNAL OF HEALTH AFFAIRS, IN
MORTALITY RATES FOR HOMELESS
COMMUNITIES DUE TO EXPOSURE AND
LACK OF ACCESS TO CARE. SO, WE
KNOW IT'S, GETTING INCREASINGLY
LESS HEALTHY AND INCREASINGLY
MORE DANGEROUS TO SLEEP ON THE
STREETS, THAT'S WHY I'M PROUD TO
AUTHOR THIS BILL, THE INTERIM
HOUSING ACT, WHICH WILL FILL A
MISSING RUNG ON THE LADDER FROM
UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS TO
PERMANENT HOUSING, WE BELIEVE
THIS BILL WILL EMPOWER LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS WHO WANT TO INVEST
IN INTERIM HOUSING AND PUT A
ROOF OVER THE HEADS OF OUR
UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS QUICKLY,
SAFELY, AND AT SCALE. WHAT IT
DOES SPECIFICALLY THREE THINGS
CUTS THE RED TAPE FOR LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS AND EMPOWERS THEM TO
BUILD INTERIM HOUSING BY
EXPEDITING APPROVALS THROUGH
SEQUA. A SECOND SIMPLIFIES THE
PROCESS FOR STREAMLINED ZONING.
THUS REDUCING CONSTRUCTION TIME
AND COSTS. A THIRD BUILDS ON
CURRENT LAW. BOTH THE SHELTER
CRISIS ACT LOW BARRIER
NAVIGATION CENTERS. I KNOW MANY
HERE WERE INVOLVED IN THOSE BY
EXPANDING AND EXTENDING THEIR
ABILITY TO STREAMLINE PROJECTS
BEYOND 2026. LASTLY, IT MAKES
FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR INTERIM
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AS A
NECESSARY COMPONENT IN OUR
STRATEGY TO COMBAT HOMELESSNESS.
BY DOING SO, THIS WILL LET US
QUICKLY AND INEXPENSIVELY
CONSTRUCT MODULAR NON-CONGREGATE
UNITS ON UNDERUTILIZED LAND AT
LOW COST. AND WITH ME TODAY, I
HAVE ADRIAN COVERT FROM THE
COUNCIL AND ELIZABETH, ELIZABETH
FUNK FROM DIGNITY MOVES. THANK
YOU, SENATOR, AND THANK YOU,
CHAIR WARD, AND THE MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE FOR HEARING FROM
US TODAY. I'M ADRIAN COVERT WITH
THE BAY AREA COUNCIL, CALIFORNIA
TODAY PROVIDES FEWER THAN FOUR
SHELTER BEDS FOR EVERY TEN
HOMELESS RESIDENTS. THIS IS THE
SECOND LOWEST RATIO OF BEDS TO
HOMELESS RESIDENTS IN THE UNITED
STATES, AND IT'S FAR BELOW THE
NATIONAL AVERAGE OF ABOUT EIGHT
BEDS FOR EVERY TEN HOMELESS
RESIDENTS. AND THIS CHRONIC
SHORTAGE OF SHELTER OPTIONS
DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTES TO 68% OF
CALIFORNIANS SLEEPING OUTDOORS.
WITHOUT ACCESS TO THE SHELTER
AND SANITATION THAT THE SENATOR
WAS MENTIONING AND THE
PROLIFERATION OF UNSHELTERED
HOMELESSNESS NEEDLESSLY COSTS
THOUSANDS OF LIVES EACH YEAR TO
THE ELEMENTS, TO ACCIDENTS, AND
TO CRIMINAL VIOLENCE. THE LONGER
A HOMELESS RESIDENT IS
WAREHOUSED BENEATH OUR
OVERPASSES OR ON OUR SIDEWALKS
OR IN OUR PARKS, THE MORE TRAUMA
THEY ENDURE AND THE MORE LIKELY
THEY ARE TO DEVELOP A SUBSTANCE
USE OR A PSYCHIATRIC USE
DISORDER THAT WILL MAKE
RESOLVING THEIR HOMELESSNESS
EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE AND
DIFFICULT. SB 1395 WILL HELP
ADDRESS THIS CRISIS BY
EMPOWERING CITIES WITH MORE
TOOLS AND LESS RED TAPE TO
QUICKLY BUILD, QUICKLY BUILD THE
HIGH QUALITY, SCALABLE
NON-CONGREGATE INTERIM HOUSING
SOLUTIONS NEEDED TO BRING PEOPLE
INDOORS QUICKLY AND WITH DIGNITY
AND BRING STABILITY TO THEIR
LIVES. SB 1395 EXTENDS AND
REMOVES THE SUNSET PROVISIONS ON
SEVERAL EXISTING LAWS TO
EXPEDITE SHELTER CONSTRUCTION.
IT CLARIFIES THAT CERTAIN,
CONTRACTS TO MANAGE THESE
PROJECTS ARE EXEMPT FROM SEQUA,
AND IT CLARIFIES FOR LOCAL
JURISDICTIONS THAT INTERIM
HOUSING PROJECTS ARE AN ELIGIBLE
PROJECT FOR STATE HOMELESS
PROGRAMS. WITH THAT, I
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU,
THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU. THIS
IS ELIZABETH FUNKE FROM DIGNITY
MOVES, AND I'M HONORED TO BE
HERE TODAY TO VOICE SUPPORT FOR
THE INTERIM HOUSING ACT, BECAUSE
THE INTERIM HOUSING ACT
REPRESENTS A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN
OUR STATE'S OPPORTUNITY TO
STRUGGLE WITH THIS CRISIS OF
BRINGING PEOPLE INDOORS, OFF OF
THE STREETS WHO ARE SUFFERING
NEEDLESSLY. MY ORGANIZATION,
DIGNITY MOVES, IS FOCUSED ON
ENDING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS
SPECIFICALLY, WHICH
UNFORTUNATELY, IS LARGELY A
UNIQUE CALIFORNIA ISSUE, WITH
HALF OF THE NATION'S UNSHELTERED
PEOPLE RESIDING IN OUR STREETS
WHILE UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS
IS ONLY ONE COMPONENT OF A MUCH
MORE COMPLEX ISSUE, IT'S THE
MOST VISIBLE, ITS MOST INHUMANE,
AND IT IS DISPROPORTIONATELY
UNDERINVESTED IN IN CALIFORNIA,
INTERIM HOUSING HAS RECENTLY
EMERGED AS A NEW TOOL FOR
ADDRESSING UNSHELTERED
HOMELESSNESS THAT IS COST
EFFECTIVE AND CAN BE DONE FAST
AND THEREFORE CAN BE DONE AT
SCALE. OUR SYSTEMS HAVE
TRADITIONALLY UNDERINVESTED IN
SHELTER OVER THE LAST DECADE.
BECAUSE SHELTER DOESN'T WORK, IT
GETS YOU OUT OF THE ELEMENTS,
BUT IT IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO A
PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN START TO
REBUILD THEIR LIVES AND OVERCOME
THEIR LIFE ISSUES THAT HAVE
BROUGHT THEM TO THIS PLACE. IT'S
DISTINCT FROM SHELTER IN THE
TRADITIONAL SENSE, AND THAT
PEOPLE HAVE THEIR OWN PRIVATE
ROOM WITH SEPARATE SLEEPING
QUARTERS WHERE THEY CAN BE
STABLE FOR MANY MONTHS. THIS
LEADS TO A MINDSET WHERE
INTENSIVE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF EFFICACY
. SB 1395 PROVIDES THE CRITICAL
TOOLS THAT ENABLE CITIES TO
DEPLOY THIS NEW TOOL WITH
UNCERTAINTY, WITH WITH, WITH
CERTAINTY, URGENCY AND EXPEDITED
URGENCY SO THAT UNSHELTERED
HOMELESSNESS CAN BE TREATED AS
THE CRISIS THAT IT DESERVES. BY
CONFIRMING AND EXTENDING THE
EXISTING LAWS AND STREAMLINING
THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO RAPID
DEPLOYMENT OF INTERIM HOUSING,
YOU'RE PAVING THE WAY FOR THIS
PROMISING NEW MODEL TO EXPAND
RAPIDLY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC HERE IN SUPPORT OF 13
SB 1395? REBECCA MARCUS IN
SUPPORT REPRESENTING LEADING AGE
CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU, MICHAEL
GUNNING LIGHTHOUSE PUBLIC
AFFAIRS HERE ON BEHALF OF SPERM
VALLEY WATER DISTRICT AND THE
SAN DIEGO HOUSING COMMISSION AND
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, SYLVIA SOLIS SHAW HERE
ON BEHALF OF CITY AND COUNTY OF
SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR LONDON
BREED, AND ALSO HERE ON BEHALF
OF THE CITY OF GOLETA, BOTH IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
HELLO. STEVEN SPENCER WITH
BROWNSTEIN ON BEHALF OF THE
HOUSING ACTION COALITION AND
HOUSING CALIFORNIA IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. AMELIA ZAMANI WITH
THE CALIFORNIA TRAVEL
ASSOCIATION. AND SUPPORT. THANK
YOU, CHRISTINA GALLAGHER, ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE
ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES AND
SUPPORT. THANK YOU, I HAVE NO
REGISTERED OPPOSITION ON FILE.
ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC HERE WISHING TO STATE A
POSITION OF OPPOSITION? OKAY.
SEEING NONE, WE'LL BRING IT BACK
TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON THE
DAIS. ASSEMBLYMEMBER REYES,
THANK YOU. THIS IS ANOTHER GREAT
IDEA. I'M TRYING TO DEAL WITH
HOMELESSNESS. I DID HAVE ONE
QUESTION ON, WE'RE USING CEQA
EXEMPTIONS, AND I KNOW YOU'RE A
GREAT PROTECTOR OF THE
ENVIRONMENT. WHAT IS TO PROHIBIT
THOSE WHO ARE USING THE CEQA
EXEMPTION TO BUILD THESE
SHELTERS FROM THEN CONVERTING
THEM TO SOMETHING OTHER THAN A
SHELTER? THANK YOU, THE SECRET
EXEMPTIONS, SPECIFICALLY ONLY
APPLY WHEN THE UNIT IS A SHELTER
CRISIS ACT OR LOW BARRIER
NAVIGATION CENTER UNIT, THE
EXEMPTIONS DO NOT EXPAND TO
WHATEVER ELSE SOMEONE WOULD WANT
TO CONVERT THE UNIT INTO. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND BY
MR. LEE. ANY OTHER MEMBER
COMMENTS SEEING NONE. SENATOR, I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING
TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS. AS WE
LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, OUR EXISTING
TOOLS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT,
INCLUDING POTENTIAL EXEMPTIONS
TO SEQUA, MAKES SENSE, ALL THE
SENSE IN THE WORLD TO WORK ON
SOME OF OUR LOW BARRIER
NAVIGATION CENTERS THAT ARE
CRITICAL TO A PIPELINE TO BE
ABLE TO RESOLVE HOMELESSNESS.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS
BILL. I INVITE YOU TO CLOSE. I
THANK YOU, APPRECIATE THE
TESTIMONY, AND RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR AN I VOTE. THANK YOU, MADAM
SECRETARY. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ACTION TO PASS TO THE COMMITTEE
ON NATURAL RESOURCES. WORD. I
PATTERSON. HARRISON I GRAYSON
GRAYSON I CHOLERA CHOLERA I LI
LI I QUIRK-SILVA I QUIRK-SILVA I
REZ REYES I SANCHEZ. SANCHEZ I
HANEY I HANEY I BILL IS OUT 9 TO
0. THANK YOU, SENATOR BECKER.
AND WITH THAT, WE'LL GO BACK ON
FILE, FOR ABSENT MEMBERS,
BEGINNING WITH OUR CONSENT
CALENDAR. MADAM SECRETARY.
CHOLERA, CHOLERA. I LI I LI I
SANCHEZ SANCHEZ I CONSENT
CALENDAR IS OUT 9 TO 0. BACK TO
FILE ITEM NUMBER ONE, SB 1357.
CHOLERA CHOLERA. I LI I LI I
SANCHEZ. I SANCHEZ I BILL IS OUT
9 TO 0. ITEM TWO, SB 1037
CHOLERA. CHOLERA. I REYES REYES
I HANEY, HANEY I BILL IS OUT 8
TO 1. I HAVE NUMBER THREE SB
1211 CHOLERA. CHOLERA. I REYES I
REYES I BILL IS OUT 8 TO 1. ITEM
NUMBER SEVEN. SB 1500 CHOLERA I
CHOLERA I REYES REYES I HANEY I
HANEY I. BILL IS OUT 8 TO 0.
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, SB 37,
PATTERSON. HARRISON I CHOLERA.
CHOLERA. I THAT BILL IS OUT 9 TO
0. AND WITH THAT I LEARNED MY
LESSON LAST TIME. ARE THERE ANY
VOTE CHANGES TO ENTERTAIN SEEING
NONE. WE ARE ADJOURNED.