The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) released their draft No Place Like Home (NPLH) Program framing paper and is seeking public input. Governor Brown signed the NPLH Program into law earlier this year to authorize housing bonds in support of constructing roughly $2 billion in permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals living with mental illness. RCRC worked collaboratively with local government organizations to negotiate key provisions of the proposal, and closely with HCD staff and others to guide development of the NPLH Program.
RCRC encourages counties to review the draft NPLH Program framing paper, participate in the public workshops, and submit written comments. RCRC staff will continue to work closely with local government organizations and HCD to further develop the NPLH Program framing paper.
For questions or concerns, please contact RCRC Legislative Advocate Tracy Rhine trhine@rcrcnet.org or RCRC Legislative Analyst Randall Echevarria rechevarria@rcrcnet.org at (916) 447-4806. The NPLH Program framing paper and list of regional public workshops can be accessed here.
The California Transportation Commission (CTC) released their 2016 Annual Report to the Legislature earlier this week, providing legislative recommendations for the 2016-17 legislative session. The report, which highlights the challenges ahead for both state and local transportation systems, supports the call for increased revenues tempered with concerns over the State’s transportation investment priorities.
Senator Jim Beall (D-San Joe) and Assembly Member Jim Frazier (D-Oakley) have both renewed efforts to secure new transportation revenues and reforms, many elements of which are supported in the CTC’s 2016 Annual Report, introducing Senate Bill 1 and Assembly Bill 1 earlier this month respectively. SB1 and AB 1 both aim to raise additional revenues for the state and local transportation systems through various increases in taxes and fees associated with funding transportation infrastructure, redirecting transportation funds back to funding infrastructure projects, and expediting the repayment of loans made to the General Fund. The CTC Annual Report can be accessed here.
The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) issued guidance and hosted a webinar earlier this week to provide an overview of several legislative proposals that were signed into law during the 2015-16 legislative session. HCD discussed Senate Bill 1069 (Wieckowski), Assembly Bill 2299 (Bloom), and Assembly Bill 2406 (Thurmond), all of which support development of affordable housing units, referred to as Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU).
Specifically, SB 1069 makes changes to parking requirements, reduces permitting fees and other fees associated with water and utility connection fees, addresses fire sprinkler requirements, requires a local government to use a ministerial process to approve applications for qualifying ADUs, and prohibits a local government from adopting an ordinance that precludes ADU development. AB 2299 also requires a ministerial approval process for ADUs under specified conditions, and includes requirements dealing with parking, unit size, and setbacks. Lastly, AB 2406 provides a local government the ability to authorize the development of Junior ADUs through adoption of an ordinance, which are also prescribed various requirements.
