Policy & Legislation
Prop. 1C Update: Part II
Our last Prop. 1C update reported on the status of the infill and transit-oriented development programs. This update will examine the bond's parks and innovative financing programs.
Parks: Prop. 1C contained $200 million for "housing-related parks," but left it up to legislators to decide exactly what that phrase means. Senator Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, and Assemblymember Anna Caballero, D-Salinas, are authoring two measures that answer the question very differently.
Housing California and the Affordable Housing Collaborative support Caballero's AB 1252, which would funnel the money through HCD's Workforce Housing Reward Program. This program gives grants to cities and counties for every below-market-rate home they approve, leveraging the money to produce more affordable homes.
Under Steinberg's SB 732, the parks money would not have a clear link to new affordable homes. The bill would create the Sustainable Communities Council, headed by the Resources Agency secretary, and require the council to design a parks program.
With legislators' final weeks likely to be consumed by the budget, health care, and water policy, AB 1252 and SB 732 may become two-year bills.
Innovative financing: SB 586 (Dutton) continues to be the vehicle for allocating this $100 million. The bill would divide the funds between two existing and three new programs:
- The largest portion, $50 million, would be allocated to a new, affordable-home acquisition program to provide short-term loans for ownership and rental properties.
- Two new programs proposed by HCD would each receive $5 million: One to reduce construction defects lawsuits and the other to build homes for school personnel and students on school properties.
- Two existing programs would also receive funding: The Local Housing Trust Fund Matching Grant Program ($35 million) and the Mobilehome Park Resident Ownership Program ($5 million).
Assembly Republicans oppose the school properties program. Their opposition may hold-up the bill's passage, because it requires a two-thirds vote.
We will keep you posted on the progress of all Prop. 1C bills in the final four weeks of this year's legislative session.
Contact Julie Snyder, (916) 447-0503 x 102 or .
