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<br />2017 State Legislative Summary Page 2 of 4 <br /> <br />• SB 166 (Skinner) Requires local jurisdictions to ensure they are adequately addressing <br />unmet housing needs throughout the housing element planning period. For example, if a city <br />were to zone residential, but then build commercial in that zone, this bill would require the <br />city to then identify additional sites to accommodate its residential housing needs. <br />• SB 167 (Skinner) Increases the burden on local jurisdictions when denying an affordable <br />housing project, would impose fines for a violation of the Housing Accountability Act (the Act), <br />expand judicial remedies for violations of the Act, and permits attorney’s fees for <br />organizations that bring a successful lawsuit. <br />• SB 540 (Roth) Allows local jurisdictions to create workforce housing opportunity zones <br />(“WHOZ”), which is similar to a specific plan and must contain a specified amount of <br />affordable housing, with an inclusionary requirement. The establishment of a WHOZ would <br />require an initial environmental review process; however no project level environmental <br />review will be required for the subsequent five years. <br />• AB 72 (Santiago and Chiu) Gives the Department of Housing and Community Development <br />(HCD) authority to find a housing element out of compliance if a city's action or failure to take <br />action, including down-zoning sites, is inconsistent with state housing element law. The bill <br />would also give HCD authority to refer a violation of existing state housing laws to the Attorney <br />General for action. <br />• AB 73 (Chiu) Incentivizes local governments to zone at high densities around transit and <br />complete environmental review in advance on those sites. The state would provide an <br />incentive payment once zoning and environmental review is complete and a second payment <br />once building permits are issued for housing units on the sites. Sites in the zoned area would <br />not be subject to additional CEQA review. <br />• AB 1505 (Bloom and Chiu) Authorizes the legislative body of a city or county to establish <br />inclusionary housing requirements as a condition of the development of residential rental <br />units. This legislation will restore an important tool that cities can use to increase the supply <br />of affordable housing units. <br />TPA worked closely with the City Manager, his office and the City’s Housing staff, and others to help <br />move these bills forward. Our efforts included, but were not limited to, drafting support letters, <br />testifying in support at committee meetings, meeting directly with legislative offices to express San <br />Leandro’s support and to explain why these bills are needed. Related efforts included working with <br />affordable housing advocates to speak with targeted offices, and meeting with the Governor’s Office <br />to address any concerns. <br /> <br />Transportation Funding <br />TPA has been active on the City’s behalf the past few years to support and advocate for a <br />transportation infrastructure funding package. There have been many different transportation <br />proposals during the last few legislative sessions, but none were able to garner the two-thirds <br />support needed for passage. <br /> <br />This session there was an aggressive, coordinated approach to pass an infrastructure funding <br />package; TPA was part of that coalition. At the beginning of the legislative session, companion bills <br />AB 1 and SB 1 were introduced to provide a funding mechanism and investments in state and local <br />roads. Eventually SB 1 emerged as the vehicle for the transportation proposal, which increased <br />several taxes and fees to raise approximately $5.1 billion in new transportation annual revenues and <br />adjust for inflation every three years. This bill proposed that the new funding be used toward: <br />deferred maintenance on state highways and local streets and roads, improvements to the state’s <br />trade corridors, as well as transit. TPA’s efforts included drafting and submitting support letters at <br />the beginning of the year, working with a large coalition to express support by testifying in <br />committees and meeting with targeted offices, and currently TPA is helping the City on the process <br />to secure these funds. <br /> <br />525