SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — Looking to an untapped resource to fix the state’s housing crisis, California lawmakers on Thursday approved legislation intended to send a wave of duplexes to the suburbs.
By allowing owners to divide up their properties and build duplexes in neighborhoods currently reserved for single-family homes, proponents say the goal is to increase supply and revamp outdated, exclusionary zoning laws.
After stalling during last year’s pandemic-shortened session, the bill by state Senate President pro Tem Toni Atkins is one step away from Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk.
"This bill is about opening the door for more families to pursue their version of the California Dream — whether that means building a home for an elderly parent to live in, creating a new source of income, buying that first house, or being welcomed into a new neighborhood,” Atkins said following Thursday’s vote. “In short, this bill is about opportunity, and I'm grateful the Assembly has given it the opportunity to move forward today.”
The so-called “duplex bill” cleared the Assembly by a comfortable 44-16 margin thanks in large part to the negotiating prowess of Atkins, who made housing reform the cornerstone of the Democrats’ legislative agenda last winter.
Atkins and the proponents of Senate Bill 9 claim streamlining the approval process and overriding local control will allow families to quickly build multigenerational homes. Furthermore, they say the reform will help atone for racist local zoning laws implemented decades ago by giving minorities better opportunities to own or rent in nicer neighborhoods.
Under the measure, homeowners could convert or build up to four units on a single-family parcel even in upscale neighborhoods where it’s currently illegal. The bill closely mirrors changes the Legislature has approved in recent years to make it easier for homeowners to build accessory guest houses or so-called casitas.
The push to increase density in suburban areas includes supporters like California YIMBY, League of Women Voters of California and the California Apartment Association.
But Atkins’ measure faced heavy opposition from dozens of cities and homeowners’ associations which claimed upzoning could destroy the character of older, more established neighborhoods.
In opposition letters submitted by posh cities like Thousand Oaks, Beverly Hills and Yorba Linda, critics cast SB 9 as a boon for developers and warned speculators would soon flood even lower-income neighborhoods.
“It will promote gentrification in stable neighborhoods, especially neighborhoods of color, the naturally occurring targets for speculators,” wrote the League of California Cities.
Assemblyman Kelly Seyarto, R-Murrieta, called SB 9 a “Band-Aid” that will steamroll complex developmental plans cities have been forced to abide by for decades. To increase housing supply, he said the state should be focused on cutting developmental fees and other red tape.
“SB 9 can be called ‘community planning chaos’,” Seyarto said on the Assembly floor.
To get SB 9 over the top, Atkins agreed to a series of amendments this month requiring individual homeowners to occupy one of the housing units for at least three years, and allow municipalities to deny permits if they deem the proposed housing will harm public health or the environment. In addition, cities can still enforce design standards and the bill does not bar the construction of new single-family homes.
The late changes were enough to convince lawmakers from both parties, including Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer who said he was initially concerned about enhancing the pace of gentrification within his Los Angeles district and intended to vote no.
“The author finally listened to my concerns, finally listened to people of color’s concerns,” said Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles. “I want to commend the author for putting [the amendments] in this bill.”
The duplex bill now returns to the state Senate for a final procedural vote on the recent amendments. The Senate approved the measure in overwhelming bipartisan fashion in May, while Newsom has not commented publicly on the bill.
Thursday’s vote caps a banner week for housing reform advocates in a state where the median price of a single-family home is over $810,000.
This week, the Assembly approved another contentious housing bill that will greenlight apartment complexes near transit-rich areas. The combined results are a major step in the right direction, said Assemblyman Robert Rivas, D-Salinas.
“This is a moment that so many of us working on the state’s housing crisis have been waiting for,” said Rivas. “We’ve been on a multiyear quest for solutions.”
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