There are less than three weeks for this year’s bills to move through the State Legislature and on to Governor Newsom’s desk. Our recent rundown on all the HAC-endorsed bills still looking to make it into law this year went up in July, and we wanted to follow up on the housing legislation to keep your eyes on as we approach the September 13th deadline for bills to wend their way through the State Senate and State Assembly.
Our highest priority bill of 2019, the More HOMES Act, or SB 50, was stalled and is expected to come up for a vote in Senate Appropriations in early 2020. While SFHAC and our partners continue to build momentum for next year, lawmakers are still considering important housing legislation in the remaining weeks of this session.
Our advocacy team has been on the ground in Sacramento supporting Senate Bill 330 and Senate Bill 592 with organizers and activists from across the state. While there’s still work to be done to get the pair read into law, SB 330 and SB 592, both sponsored by Bay Area legislators, seem well-poised to make it to the governor’s desk. With HAC’s team taking a leadership role in working with housing champion Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and our regional partners in shaping and building support for SB 592. HAC’s Executive Director is walking the halls in Sacramento ironing out details, we’re hopeful continued collaboration will get it across the finish line.
Several HAC-endorsed bills aimed at producing more housing are showing positive indications as four “Accessory Dwelling Unit” (ADU) bills from Assemblymembers Ting and Bloom and Senator Wieckowski (AB 68, AB 69, AB 881, and SB 13) continue to move forward, and we’re optimistic they’ll also pass out of their respective houses and onto Governor Newsom.
Two other pieces of legislation we’re watching down the final stretch are Assemblymember Ting’s Surplus Land bill, AB 1486, and Assembly Bill 1487 from San Francisco’s David Chiu. AB 1486 will re-zone unused parcels of land for desperately needed subsidized affordable housing. Chiu’s AB 1487 will make it possible to put regional affordable housing financing measures on the Bay Area’s ballots; we’ll have more out soon on the local and regional tools AB 1487 could put in the hands of the Bay Area communities, who we know are linked by much more than just jobs, transit, and housing. We’re also keeping our ears to the ground this Friday, when eight HAC-endorsed bills on the last-chance “Suspense File” of both Appropriations Committees will have their fate for 2019 determined.
We’ll keep you up to date as lawmakers approach the deadline to take action; make sure to follow us on social media to stay current.
