With strong advocacy from the SV@Home Action Fund in coalition with partners across the region and state, the California Legislature protected affordable housing funding and passed some game-changing housing bills. Please contact the Governor today and urge him to sign AB-670, SB-634, and SB-79!
We also joined the coalition to protect funding for Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC). AHSC is California’s biggest affordable housing funding program. AHSC is funded through California’s Cap-and-Invest (also known as Cap-and-Trade) program. Cap-and-Invest aims to reign-in greenhouse gasses and invest in climate-friendly solutions like more affordable housing near transit and jobs. But funding for AHSC was under threat, with other priorities competing for the same pot of money. However, following consistent support from our partners and ourselves, the Legislature reached a last-minute agreement which maintains this essential funding source for affordable housing throughout our state.
The Legislature passed three bills which we supported and has sent them to the Governor. Again, please make sure the Governor’s office hears from you and knows Silicon Valley supports these bills, because we need him to sign them or they won’t become law.
AB-670
AB-670, authored by Asm. Sharon Quirk-Silva. This bill creates an incentive for cities to preserve at-risk affordable housing. When cities report their affordable housing production numbers, this bill will allow them to get credit for preserving affordable housing from being destroyed or made more expensive. At SV@Home, we support affordable housing preservation alongside production as two of the Three Ps: Produce new homes, Preserve the affordable homes we have, and Protect/emPower tenants.
SB-634
SB-634, authored by Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, with Principal Coauthors Asm. Ash Kalra and Asm. Alex Lee from Santa Clara County. This bill will prohibit cities from criminalizing homelessness. The US Supreme Court has made it easier for states and cities to harass and turn the force of government against homeless people. Too many local politicians are eager to turn the police on our neighbors for the “crime” of losing our rigged housing game. And, in comments shocking even by 2025 standards, Fox News anchor Brian Kilmeade just called for the mass murder of homeless people. But, in the face of the wave of dehumanization and violence, California has the chance to turn the tide. We can start treating our homeless neighbors as human beings and refocus on the only real solution to homelessness: housing that is affordable. SB-634 is the first step.
SB-79
SB-79, authored by Sen. Scott Wiener and co-authored by Asm. Alex Lee. This major bill is the culmination of nearly a decade of advocacy and attempts to tell cities that they can’t just say “no” to housing near transit. Five of our six Assemblymembers voted for it and two of our three Senators voted for it. Please thank your legislators if they voted yes on SB-79!
State Senators representing Santa Clara County who voted YES on SB-79:
- Sen. Dave Cortese, District 15 — (408) 723-4154
- Sen. Aisha Wahab, District 10 — (510) 794-3900
Assemblymembers representing Santa Clara County who voted YES on SB-79:
- Asm. Patrick Ahrens, District 26 — (408) 446-2810
- Asm. Marc Berman, District 23 — (650) 324-0224
- Asm. Ash Kalra, District 25 — (408) 286-2535 (also co-authored SB-634!)
- Asm. Alex Lee, District 24 — (408) 262-2501 (co-authored SB-79 and also SB-634!)
- Speaker Robert Rivas, District 29 — (831) 759-8976
Sen. Josh Becker, District 13, and Asm. Gail Pellerin, District 28, did not vote for SB-79.