Housing elements: prohousing designation.
The bill particularly targets nonentitlement jurisdictions, defined as cities with populations under 50,000 or counties with populations under 200,000, by allowing them to maintain their prohousing designation for a period of at least five years without needing to renew it. This change acknowledges the varying capacities of smaller jurisdictions in meeting housing demands while aiming to streamline processes that facilitate housing growth. Consequently, jurisdictions that comply with the housing element requirements and adopt policies favorable to housing construction would receive additional points in competitive scoring for various housing and infrastructure funding programs.
Assembly Bill 36 (AB36), introduced by Assembly Member Soria, seeks to amend Section 65589.9 of the Government Code concerning housing elements and prohousing designations. This bill requires the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to establish permanent regulations for designating jurisdictions as prohousing based on their compliance with housing element requirements and local policies that promote housing development. The measure encourages local governments to adopt prohousing policies by offering competitive advantages in state program applications, enhancing funding possibilities for housing projects within compliant jurisdictions.
The general sentiment surrounding AB36 appears supportive among its proponents, who view it as a necessary boost to address housing shortages and promote responsible development practices across California's diverse communities. However, potential concerns exist regarding the effectiveness of mandated local policies and how they would be executed consistently across different jurisdictions, particularly in terms of maintaining affordable housing standards and community needs.
Notable points of contention include the balance of state-imposed regulations versus local control over housing strategies. Opponents might argue that the bill's requirements could infringe on local governments' abilities to tailor housing policies to fit their specific community circumstances. The bill encourages the development of policies that may not align with the local prioritization of issues, potentially leading to criticism regarding standardization of approaches without local input.