SB 375 Gains Support From Housing Advocates

Senator Darrell Steinberg sponsor of SB 375, one of the most far-reaching land-use measures considered by the legislature in the past decade

After months of intense negotiations over SB 375 (Steinberg, D-Sacramento), Housing California and the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation (CRALF) now support the historic land-use and transportation legislation. SCANPH is a member of Housing California. It is now expected that the bill will be adopted by the full Assembly later this week.

SB 375 is one of the most far-reaching land-use measures considered by the legislature in the past decade. It combines a new regional planning requirement, designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with modifications to the CA Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and significant changes to Housing Element Law. The CA League of Conservation Voters is the bill's lead sponsor.

The bill's changes to Housing Element Law include:

• Shifting from five- to eight-year cycles in the state's major regions to sync with their four-year regional transportation plan (RTP) cycle. (Regions with a five-year RTP cycle will remain on a five-year housing element cycle.)

• An explicit requirement for localities on the eight-year cycle to rezone the land identified for homes within three years of adopting the element.

• New public participation opportunities and legal tools for citizens to enforce compliance with the law.
For more details, see the local government committee's analysis and our summary (to be posted on the Housing CA website later this week).

The full Assembly will hear the bill next. August 31 at midnight is the deadline to send the bill to the governor.