Policy & Legislation
SB 375 Negotiations Continue
April 02, 2008
At a meeting in mid-March, the sponsor of SB 375, Sen. Darrel Steinberg (D-Sacramento), and Bill Craven of Steinberg's staff expressed a strong desire to address the concerns raised by Housing California and the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation (CRLAF). SB 375 links state and regional transportation funding to better growth planning by local and regional governments and is sponsored by the California League of Conservation Voters.
Housing California's Julie Snyder, Mike Rawson of the California Affordable Housing Law Project, and CRLAF lobbyist Brian Augusta argued that any requirement for regional councils of governments to identify land for home development should build on -- rather than override -- local housing elements. If local governments perceive a conflict between the housing element requirements and the bill's requirements, they will almost certainly opt to comply with the bill in order to access $20 billion in annual transportation funding.
Additionally, nonprofit developers want assurances that any building restrictions created by the regional plan are offset by requirements for prompt rezoning of land identified for home development.
Housing California and CRLAF will meet again with the staff and proponents in mid-April to review possible amendments addressing these issues.
Contact Julie Snyder, (916) 447-0503 x 102 or .
