SB827

SB827 (2018) is proposed California legislation that would excempt certain new housing, within certain distances from transit, from a variety of current zoning limitations such as maximum density or parking requirements.  It was introduced by San Francisco State Senator Scott Wiener on January 3, 2018.  (Principal coauthor: Senator Skinner; Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Ting). Bill text. 

Summary 

Title: SB-827 Planning and zoning: transit-rich housing bonus.(2017-2018) 

Summary from Legislative Counsel's Digest (in bill text): 

"The Planning and Zoning Law requires, when an applicant proposes a housing development within the jurisdiction of a local government, that the city, county, or city and county provide the developer with a density bonus and other incentives or concessions for the production of lower income housing units or for the donation of land within the development if the developer, among other things, agrees to construct a specified percentage of units for very low, low-, or moderate-income households or qualifying residents.
"This bill would authorize a transit-rich housing project to receive a transit-rich housing bonus. The bill would define a transit-rich housing project as a residential development project the parcels of which are all within a 1/2 mile radius of a major transit stop or a 1/4 mile radius of a high-quality transit corridor, as those terms are further defined. The bill would exempt a project awarded a housing opportunity bonus from various requirements, including maximum controls on residential density or floor area ratio, minimum automobile parking requirements, design standards that restrict the applicant’s ability to construct the maximum number of units consistent with any applicable building code, and maximum height limitations, as provided.
The bill would declare that its provisions address a matter of statewide concern and apply equally to all cities and counties in this state, including a charter city."

 

 

Concerns 

 

Could lead to demolition and displacement in low-income areas

Damian Goodman

• (@damianISgoodman) on Twitter, 4 Jan 2018).
  "Final word for tonight on  @Scott_Wiener's SB 827: Has anyone denied that the bill would lead to massive demolition of housing in low-income 'hoods like South LA? Heck, isn't that exactly what the YIMBYs are applauding? #SB827 #Colonizers #Gentrification
• blog post: "SB 827 Is a Declaration of War on South LA." Crenshaw Subway Coalition blog, 5 Jan 2018.

 

 

Upzoing could create pressure for less well-off homeowners to sell and relocate. 

cf. Martha Bridegam twitter thread. 

 

References

• California Legislative Information. "SB-827 Planning and zoning: transit-rich housing bonus." https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB827. 
   
• Dillon, Liam. "Get ready for a lot more housing near the Expo Line and other California transit stations if new legislation passes
  housing expo line." LA Times. http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-housing-transit-bill-20180104-story.html.
   
• Elkind, Ethan. "Finally, California Gets A Meaningful Housing Bill: SB 827 (Wiener) would be a game-changer to solve the housing and sprawl crisis." Legal Planet blog, 4 January 2018. http://legal-planet.org/2018/01/04/finally-california-gets-a-meaningful-housing-bill/.
   
• Goodman, Damian. "SB 827 Is a Declaration of War on South LA." Crenshaw Subway Coalition blog, 5 Jan 2018. http://www.crenshawsubway.org/sb_827_must_be_stopped_to_protect_south_la. 
     "'SB 827 would usurp all of the recent South LA's community plan updates - those years of conversations, workshops and hearings that we engaged in - to replace it with a vision concocted by a pro-gentrification, pro-displacement, real estate industry puppet in Sacramento who goes by the name of Scott Weiner.
     Scott Weiner is to gentrifiers, what Donald Trump is to racists."'
   
• Save Marinwood. "Senator Wiener, has another ridiculous Housing Bill that could lead to the massive urbanization of Marin County." Save Marinwood blog, 5 Jan 2018. http://www.savemarinwood.org/2018/01/senator-wiener-has-another-ridiculous.html.
   
• Wiener, Scott. "California Needs a Housing-First Agenda: My 2018 Housing Package." https://medium.com/@Scott_Wiener/california-needs-a-housing-first-agenda-my-2018-housing-package-1b6fe95e41da. 
   
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