REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Review of 2017 Housing Legislation (Information Only)
Report
BACKGROUND
This report provides a summary and analysis of the new housing laws enacted by the State of California in 2017, commonly referred to as the "2017 Housing Package," which took effect on January 1, 2018. Staff analyzed these laws (which included a review of the analysis of various outside groups and legal firms) to assess the likely positive or negative near term impacts of these laws on the City. Two summaries of this legislation, one provided by the California Department of Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) and the other by the League of California Cities, are attached to this report as Attachments 1 and 2, respectively.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.3.1:
Goal 7.3B Assure that City policy is established, documented and enacted according to established procedures and legal principles.
Policy 7.3B.3 Prepare and update ordinances to reflect current community issues and concerns in compliance with state and federal laws.
DISCUSSION
The fifteen bills comprising the Housing Package (plus several other housing bills not officially included in the Housing Package but also enacted in 2017) were developed by the California Legislature to address the statewide housing crisis. The statewide housing crisis is considered by most of the bill authors and sponsors as a matter of both inadequate supply and significant affordability concerns. Most of these bills can be grouped into one or more of the following four categories:
* Funding Measures: SB 2, SB 3, and to a limited extent AB 73, AB 571;
* Accountability, Reporting, and Enforcement Measures: SB 166, SB 167, AB 72, AB 678, AB 879, AB 1397, AB 1515; AB 1568
* Streamlining Measures: SB 35, SB 229, SB 540, AB 73, AB 494
* Miscellaneous: AB 571, AB 1193, AB 1505, AB 1521
Potentially significant impacts of the new legislation in each of the above areas on City business or operations are noted below....
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