Investors have purchased up to 30 percent of available homes at different points over the last few years, mostly turning them into rental housing. Most of the buyers are smaller investors, but Harris, Vance and other critics including Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) are focusing on larger entities — those such as private equity firms that buy 100 homes or more — arguing that they’re freezing homebuyers out of the market and jacking up rents.
A recent Marin County Planning Commission agenda item to finalize the Corcoran v. County of Marin lawsuit, which the county lost, morphed into a much larger exposure of dysfunction between county interests and staff.
On Sept. 23, the commission voted 5-2 to simply follow a court order to remove unlawful language clauses from county documents that had been inserted by staff – over commissioners’ objections – in 2022.
Developers hoping for a faster and easier path to converting empty office buildings to housing in California’s downtowns will have to wait for another legislative session after Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed legislation that would have fast-tracked such projects.
The measure, AB3068, would have expedited adaptive reuse projects by mandating by-right approval for projects converting offices to residential or mixed-use in city centers.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a package of bills intended to bolster California’s response to the dual homelessness and the housing crisis, he announced at a news conference in San Francisco’s Mission District on Thursday morning. Newsom also introduced guidance for up to $2.2 billion in funding through Proposition 1, passed by California voters in March, to construct permanent supportive housing for individuals at risk of — or currently — experiencing homelessness.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said Wednesday he plans to sign a bill that would strengthen the state attorney general’s power to fine cities that flout state housing laws.
Once Senate Bill 1037 goes into effect, the attorney general can seek penalties that would be assessed from the date that the housing law violation began. Those much larger fines will now go toward building affordable housing in the jurisdiction being penalized.
Why is it necessary to destroy single family neighborhoods in order to build more affordable housing?
There is absolutely no formula of housing development and growth that indicates any significant lowering of housing costs if more housing is developed. The poor will never be able to afford a home or apartment under current policies of private sector development since there is no incentive to lower the price of housing 75-percent below market rates.
A weekly Zoom call to talk about housing legislation and strategies to preserve local control. Bring your questions and ideas. Informal networking, announcements, and updates. PLEASE NOTE: You have to register in advance the first time to get the new Zoom link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. The Zoom link will work for the rest of the year. REGISTER
A weekly Zoom call to talk about housing legislation and strategies to preserve local control. Bring your questions and ideas. Informal networking, announcements, and updates. PLEASE NOTE: You have to register in advance the first time to get the new Zoom link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. The Zoom link will work for the rest of the year. REGISTER
A weekly Zoom call to talk about housing legislation and strategies to preserve local control. Bring your questions and ideas. Informal networking, announcements, and updates. PLEASE NOTE: You have to register in advance the first time to get the new Zoom link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. The Zoom link will work for the rest of the year. REGISTER
A weekly Zoom call to talk about housing legislation and strategies to preserve local control. Bring your questions and ideas. Informal networking, announcements, and updates. PLEASE NOTE: You have to register in advance the first time to get the new Zoom link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. The Zoom link will work for the rest of the year. REGISTER
The Great Housing Challenge: WHAT MATTERS TO CONSTITUENTS? A 4-part Town Hall Series on Zoom (August-November) Thursday nights, 5:00-6:30 pm Part 4: The Constitution Matters! An LA Court (4/24) found SB9, the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) law, unconstitutional. The ruling could ultimately have a broader impact on the state’s ability to enforce SB 9 and other housing laws in all of California’s 121 charter cities. Presenters: Attorney Pam Lee, Aleshire & Wynder, argued the winning SB9 case. Her colleague, attorney Sunny Soltani (invited), is an expert on how to become a charter city. The California Dream is collapsing into a California Nightmare! Legislators have passed 150 laws since 2017, without increasing the supply of affordable housing. Evidence shows conditions are getting worse. What matters? Affordable housing, of course. And also safety, taxes, elections, and the constitution. SIGN UP FOR THE SERIES TODAY Register Sign up once and re-use your Zoom link throughout the series.
