Daily Cal: Gov. Jerry Brown signs 15 bills to improve affordable housing in California

GOVERNOR SIGNS HOUSING PACKAGE, LAUNCHES PROGRESS FOR CALIFORNIA HOUSING

September 29, 2017

Hoodline Tenderloin: Governor In Town To Sign Affordable Housing Funding Bills

October 3, 2017

“On Friday, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a package of housing bills that aim to improve Californians’ access to affordable housing…

Berkeley City Councilmember Kriss Worthington called the bills “the biggest step forward” for housing in many years. According to him, the combination of all the bills could result in more housing construction in Berkeley and therefore make more apartments available for students.

“I think Berkeley needs to do a similar package of 15 bills for housing reform,” Worthington said. “We are working on putting some ideas forward.”

The package of bills includes a combination of funding methods that will go toward the affordable housing programs. SB 2, for instance, includes a $75 fee on real estate transaction documents…

Amie Fishman, executive director of the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California, called the $75 fee a “small” and “standard” funding measure. She stressed the need for commercial property tax reform as a “progressive” way to move toward fairer housing policy.

SB 3 also provides major funding for the affordable housing programs in the form of $4 billion in general obligation bonds, and it will be voted upon as a ballot measure in November 2018…”