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Hello Housing California Supporter,
In This Edition:
Bill Introduction Approaches for California Homes and Jobs Act
Support grows with
new principal co-author and key business endorsements
With
its proven approaches to creating jobs and putting safe, stable homes within
reach of all Californians, the California Homes and Jobs Act of 2013 continues
to gain new support and momentum in the weeks leading up to its late-February
introduction:
- Assemblymember Raul Bocanegra (D- Pacoima) has signed-on as a principal co-author. Chair of the powerful Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee, this freshman legislator wants to play a
leading role on housing policy and finance. We're thrilled to be working
with him.
- Key business associations are
prioritizing passage of the Act, including Orange County Business Council,
Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and Los Angeles Business Council. They're
driven by concerns about housing for their wide-ranging workforce and
vulnerable members of their communities.
- Field Campaign Director John
Simmons is making presentations and developing field-campaign strategies
with local advocates in San Francisco (February 6th), Irvine (February 12th),
San Diego (February 13th), and Sacramento (February 15th). For information
on any of these events, contact John at jsimmons@housingca.org.
Take Action! Help us broaden our support for the California Homes and Jobs Act. In addition to housing organizations, we're looking for endorsments from non-housing groups. Please share our online form with two non-housing groups and ask for their support! Need help? Use our sample text (Word / PDF).
Facebook will play a big role in this campaign, so be sure to
"like" our campaign page. Not only
will our updates appear in your "News Feed," but you'll also be able
to interact with the campaign and share your hard work and success stories. Visit
the campaign Facebook page.
Contact: Julie Snyder, 916.447.0503 x1102 (NEW direct dial: 916.287.9887) or jsnyder@housingca.org.
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CHPC Report Supports Nexus Between Affordable Homes near Transit and Greenhouse Gas Reductions
Last
week the California Housing Partnership Corporation (CHPC) released a report, assessing
the existing research on the role of affordable, transit-oriented development
(TOD) as a greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction strategy.
Building and Preserving Affordable Homes near
Transit: Affordable TOD as a Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Equity Strategy concludes there is strong evidence that preserving and building homes affordable
to lower-income households near transit will allow California to achieve
substantial GHG-reduction benefits. It is well-established that people who live
in homes built near transit drive less frequently and
shorter distances. Across California, the research also shows that people on modest incomes are less likely to own cars, and more likely to take public
transit, walk, or bike, if these options are available. Therefore, GHG reduction will be maximized if homes
located near transit are affordable to those who tend to use alternative modes
of transportation the most.
The report also highlights the unintended negative impacts of
investing in transit without an effective policy to prevent displacement of modest-budget
households: rents in transit-oriented development are typically 10-20 percent
higher than in similar residential developments that are not close to transit. In
many neighborhoods where new market-rate infill or transit-oriented residential
developments are built, modest-budget households are displaced. To avoid
displacement and maximize GHG reductions, public investment is needed in
developing and preserving homes near transit that are affordable to people of
modest means.
Housing California, CHPC, and a broad coalition of allies are circulating a proposal calling for the investment of Cap-and-Trade revenues in homes affordable to those who ride transit most and in transit services
that best serve lower-income populations. CHPC's report provides compelling
evidence to support the proposal. Learn more.
How can you help?
Now is the time to demonstrate the benefits of transportation and housing choices for all Californians. Join the movement to transform our communities by endorsing our Cap-and-Trade proposal.
Contact: Felicity Lyons, 916.447.0503 x1110 (NEW direct dial: 916.287.9885) or flyons@housingca.org.
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CARB to Solicit Input on Cap-and-Trade Revenue at Workshops in Fresno, Los Angeles, and Sacramento
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) will hold hearings in
late February to help inform the three-year investment plan that the state Department
of Finance will present to the Legislature as part of the annual
budget process. The Housing California/TransForm coalition is organizing allies
to attend and support our proposal for investments in integrated transportation
and housing that
serve community members of modest means and will result in demonstrable greenhouse
gas reductions.
The upcoming workshop dates are as follows:
- Fresno: Tuesday,
February 19th, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m., Mariposa Mall Building, Room 1036, Fresno,
CA 93721
- Sacaramento: Monday, February
25th, 3 p.m. - 6 p.m., CalEPA, Byron Sher Auditorium, 1001 I Street,
Sacramento, CA 95814
- Los Angeles: Wednesday,
February 27th, 4 p.m. - 7 p.m., Reagan Building, Auditorium, 300 South
Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013
If you are interested in joining us to express support for our
proposal and bring specific examples of the needs in your community or region,
please contact Felicity Lyons, Sustainable Communities Coordinator.
Contact: Felicity Lyons, 916.447.0503 x1110 (NEW direct dial: 916.287.9885) or flyons@housingca.org.
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Several Proposed Measures Seek to Reform Prop. 13
On the table: Reducing voter thresholds for local special taxes, tweaks to commercial property-tax assessments
With
the deadline to introduce new legislation still a few weeks away, a number of
bills have already been introduced that seek to amend Prop. 13,
1978's voter-approved initiative that set two-thirds requirements for tax
increases and capped property-tax assessment at 1 percent of the property's
value. Proposition 13 has long been deemed untouchable due to its popularity
with voters.
These
proposed measures deal with various components of Prop. 13, including lowering
the vote thresholds required at the local level to raise taxes from two-thirds
to 55 percent for uses that include transportation, libraries, and other broad
infrastructure activities. Other measures seek to tighten loopholes around the
reassessment of commercial property. All of these measures would require a
two-thirds vote of the Legislature, and the state constitutional amendments
would also have to be approved by the voters.
Lowering the Two-Thirds Threshold for Special Taxes at the Local Level
SCA
3 (Leno) would lower the threshold for special taxes by a city, county, or
special district from two-thirds to 55 percent for the purpose of parcel taxes, which help fund education.
SCA
4 (Liu) would lower the threshold for special taxes by a city, county, or special
district from two-thirds to 55 percent for the purpose of funding public transportation projects.
SCA
7 (Wolk) would lower the threshold for special taxes by a city, county, or special
district from two-thirds to 55 percent for the purpose of funding public libraries.
SCA
9 (Corbett) would lower the threshold for special taxes by a city, county, or
special district from two-thirds to 55 percent for community and economic
development projects.
SCA
11 (Hancock) would lower the threshold for any special taxes by a city,
county, or special district from two-thirds to 55 percent.
Change of Ownership
AB
188 (Ammiano) would redefine the criteria that triggers a change in ownership in property,
specifying that if 100 percent of the ownership interests in a legal entity are
sold or transferred in a single transaction, the real property owned by that
legal entity has changed ownership, whether or not any one legal entity or
person that is a party to the transaction acquires more than 50 percent of the
ownership interests. This is an attempt to put an end to the complex legal
maneuvers often used by commercial property owners to avoid reassessment when a
change of ownership occurs.
Contact: Zack Olmstead, 916.447.0503 x1108 (NEW direct dial: 916.287.9886) or zolmstead@housingca.org.
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Annual Conference: Scholarships Available / How to Save on Registration Fees
Become a Housing California member before registration opens February 15th
Scholarships Available
We understand that attending the conference may not be possible for some due to financial conditions. In order to open the conference to those who may need financial assistance, Housing California awards a limited number of scholarships.
- Deadline to apply: Friday, February 22, 2013 by 5:00 PM. No exceptions! Learn more.
Members Save on Registration Fees
Did you know Housing California members can save hundreds of dollars off their conference registrations? If you're planning to attend our 2013 Annual Conference, become a member or renew your membership now. Register early for even more savings. Learn more.
Other Important dates:
- Online registration opens: February 15, 2013
- Deadline for sponsors to reserve exhibit space and submit ads for the conference program: February 28, 2013
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