California Apartment Association

Pro-housing bills backed by the California Apartment Association made healthy strides this week in the Legislature.

On Wednesday alone, four housing bills — either sponsored or co-sponsored by CAA — advanced from their respective committees.

The following proposals advanced from the Assembly Local Government Committee to the Appropriations Committee:

• AB 2299 (Bloom) would mandate that local governments allow for the construction of second units on residential lots if those units meet specific standards and are located within one-half mile of public transportation. Sponsored by CAA.
• AB 2501 (Bloom) would make it faster, easier and more economical for developers to obtain density bonuses in exchange for including affordable housing in the developments. Co-sponsored by CAA.
• AB 2180 (D-Ting) proposes to expedite the building permit process by shortening the number of days that a local government must take to approve a new housing project. Sponsored by CAA.

Moving from the Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development to the Judiciary Committee:

• AB 2584 (Daly)authorizes organizations such as CAA to bring legal action against a local government that denies housing projects in violation of state law. Sponsored by CAA.

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The following housing-related bills also are supported by CAA and continue to work their way through the Legislature:

• AB 1934 (D-Santiago) would clarify that a local government may issue a density bonus (allowing for more units in a project) to commercial developers when they include affordable housing as a component of their commercial development. Advanced Wednesday from Local Government to Appropriations.
• AB 2728 (D-Atkins) would extend a current funding program, known as the California Organized Investment Network (COIN), scheduled to expire in 2017. It would extend the funding credit for another 10 years, providing dollars to underserved communities in California. COIN is a collaborative effort between the Department of Insurance (DOI), the insurance industry, and community economic development organizations. DOI administers the COIN program, which awards up to $10 million in tax credits per year to support $50 million in capital from insurance companies and other investors for community development. Advanced Wednesday from Insurance to Appropriations.
• AB 2734 (D-Atkins) would direct the Department of Finance to calculate the state savings resulting from the elimination of redevelopment agencies and require that 50 percent of those savings or $1 billion dollars, whichever is greater, be redirected to local governments to address affordable housing needs. Advanced April 14 from Local Government to Appropriations.
• AB 2817 (D-Chiu) proposes to increase the state Low Income Housing Tax Credit allocation by an additional $300 million for the creation and preservation of affordable rental homes. Advanced March 30 from Housing and Community Development to Revenue and Taxation.
• AB 2208 (D-Santiago) would require that, before construction, rooftops of public buildings be offered to private or nonprofit developers for the construction of affordable housing. Advanced Wednesday from Local Government to Appropriations.
• AB 1500 (R-Maienschein) would provide that if a local government elects to identify supportive or transitional housing developments for the homeless in its housing plans, the development must be allowed as a permitted use without additional permits or a lengthy approval process. Advanced Jan. 27 from Assembly floor to Senate Transportation and Housing.