State lawmakers send affordable housing fix to governor Brown
SACRAMENTO — California lawmakers sent Gov. Jerry Brown a package of bills Friday aimed at easing the state’s affordable housing crisis, but a boom in building won’t happen immediately.
The three major pieces of the deal include a $4 billion housing bond, a new $75 fee on real estate transaction documents, and a bill to streamline building regulations that can hamper developers looking to construct low-cost apartments and homes. Brown plans to sign them.
California lacks an estimated 1.5 million affordable housing units compared to demand — a situation that is contributing to the growth of the homeless population.
It’s also home to 21 of the nation’s 30 most expensive rental housing markets. Efforts to spur building, enforce existing housing law and create a funding source for more affordable projects have struggled in the Legislature in recent years.
“We need to do our part and stop creating reasons why we can’t fix things,” Democratic Sen. Ben Hueso of San Diego said. “When you talk to the people of California they are concerned, and more and more concerned, that they have no affordable place to live.”
Still, a flurry of new houses isn’t likely to pop up for at least a few years. The primary source of money — the $4 billion bond — needs to win support from voters next year. If it does, backers say it can be released quickly because it will go toward already existing programs.
“We have to make a convincing case before the voters,” Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon noted during a press conference celebrating the deal’s passage.
Likewise, the $200 to $300 million expected to be raised annually through the real estate fee won’t hit communities immediately.
Tyrone Buckley, policy director for Housing California, called the bills a “great first start” even though he doesn’t expect to see dollars rolling out until 2019.