SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KNX) - A California law designed to fight homelessness is set to expire in a few years unless the legislature extends it.
Senate Bill 35 was seen as a game changer when it was signed into law in 2017. The law speeds up the process of building affordable housing by cutting red tape and preventing frivolous appeals that can bog projects down for years.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said he hopes the legislature will move to extend SB 35 before it expires. He says the state will need an estimated 2.5 million new homes in the next eight years to keep up with the growing population, but currently, less than 125,000 new homes are being built each year.
“I continue to believe that in the middle of California’s housing crisis, it has resonance, meaning, impact, and effectiveness,” said Bonta. “From where I stand, until we get this crisis under control, and more cities are doing their part, and more local jurisdictions are pitching in to produce the number of units of housing that we need, we will need to continue to have laws like SB 35.”
State Senator Scott Wiener, who introduced SB 35 in 2017, introduced a new bill in February that would keep the legislation in place permanently. That bill is currently being considered by the Appropriations Committee.
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