Mercury News: “California gears up for round 2 on controversial battle over more homes near transit”

“A controversial bill with the potential to add millions of apartments and condominiums near transit — which died in its first committee hearing earlier this year — was resurrected Monday, but with a number of significant changes. Already, some of the changes are raising eyebrows.

 

“When San Francisco state Sen. Scott Wiener introduced SB 827, his proposal sparked a red-hot debate over how and where we build housing in the Golden State. The measure would have required cities to allow housing developments of four to eight stories within a half-mile radius of every BART station, Caltrain stop or other railroad station, and a quarter-mile from bus stops where buses run every 15 minutes during commute times…

Amie Fishman, the executive director of Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California, said her organization was very encouraged by the direction of the new measure, though it hasn’t taken an official position just yet.

“The importance of ensuring housing opportunities in high-opportunity areas that are jobs-rich but that have under-produced housing, that is really heartening,” Fishman said. “If communities are producing a lot of jobs, they need to also produce housing.””

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