Parameters of housing bill narrow before first debate
Bay Area lawmaker reins in height and density guidelines on projects near mass transit across the state.
SACRAMENTO — Ahead of its first legislative committee hearing scheduled for next week, a Bay Area lawmaker has narrowed his bill aimed at building more housing near transit across California.
Under the newly amended Senate Bill 827 from Sen. Scott Wiener (DSan Francisco), cities would be allowed to restrict building heights to four or five stories, down from a maximum of eight stories, within a halfmile of rail and ferry stops. Wiener also limited changes surrounding bus stops. The new version of the bill wouldn’t mandate height increases around bus stops, instead allowing for increased density and lower parking requirements. It also would apply only at bus stops with frequent service throughout the day, rather than just during rush hour.
SB 827 tries to address the state’s longstanding shortage of homes and a push by climate regulators to build near mass transit through dramatically changing development rules, particularly in the state’s largest metropolitan areas. Earlier versions of the bill would have affected nearly all of San Francisco and, according to a Times analysis, about 190,000 parcels currently zoned for single-family homes in Los Angeles — roughly half such parcels in the city.
The large swath of Los Angeles affected by the bill depended primarily on the legislation’s definition of bus stops. It was not immediately clear how much smaller the bill’s footprint would be in Los Angeles after the changes.
Major interest groups across the political spectrum already have weighed in on prior versions of the bill. Elected officials in San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as smaller cities, are opposing SB 827 as an attack on their power. Development and business interests, including a group of tech executives, the California Assn. of Realtors and the California Building Industry Assn., have endorsed it. Environmental groups are split, with the Sierra Club California concerned that the bill might encourage communities to oppose new transit, while other organizations such as the Natural Resources Defense Council are in favor, arguing that it helps the state meet its climate-change goals.
Last week, 17 experts in the history of housing segregation across the country endorsed the bill, calling it a national model for addressing restrictive zoning practices. But nearly all groups representing low-income Californians and advocates for affordable housing that have taken a position on SB 827 oppose it, citing worries about displacement and gentrification.
Additional changes to the bill made this week try to address those concerns. All projects greater than 10 units will have to set aside a portion for low-income residents. It further restricts the demolition of rentcontrolled or formerly rentcontrolled properties. And developers will have to provide monthly recurring transit passes to all residents at no cost.
“We have worked with both supporters and opponents on these amendments, and we will continue to work with anyone committed to solving our housing shortage as we move through the legislative process,” Wiener wrote in a Medium post announcing the changes. “We will bring more housing to our state if we work collectively on solutions.”
SB 827 is scheduled for its first hearing April 17 in the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee, Wiener’s office said.