LA County Seeks to Pause State Laws That Could Slow Recovery
Los Angeles County wants the state to temporarily suspend housing laws in unincorporated areas such as Altadena, so residents can quickly rebuild their homes. Housing advocates say not so fast.
County Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Lindsey Horvath introduced a motion to request that Gov. Gavin Newsom temporarily exempt the county from housing laws intended to fast-track the development of affordable housing, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The Motion
The supervisors, who represent districts burned by this month’s wildfires, also put forward a motion with 41 steps needed for department heads to hasten the recovery process. They want Sacramento to issue a five-year waiver in unincorporated L.A. County for parts of Senate Bill 330, aimed at preserving affordable housing, and the Density Bonus Law, which encourages developers to build new units.
The Concerns
Amy Bodek, head of the L.A. County Planning Department, said she believed the state laws could hamper recovery by incentivizing density at the expense of residents looking to rebuild their homes.
“In order to provide the community the ability to return and not face immediate displacement, we understand the need to pause some of these policies,” Bodek said at the Board of Supervisors meeting. “We are not anti-housing. To say that we are anti-housing is someone that has not been paying attention.”
Counterarguments
Affordable housing advocates contend that the county’s waiver proposal would slash too many restrictions, bypassing laws aimed at solving the region’s affordable housing crisis, according to the Times. “This is just totally going in the wrong direction,” said Nolan Gray, senior director of legislation and research for California YIMBY, a pro-housing group based in Sacramento.
“There’s so much in here that has nothing to do with helping people rebuild,” Gray said. “The relevant laws have spurred the construction of thousands of affordable homes across the state.”
Expert Opinion
Chris Elmendorf, a law professor at UC Davis who studies California housing law, said the county was too broad in seeking a waiver in undefined “fire-impacted communities.” “If the goal is to get people back to their communities as fast as possible, shouldn’t the goal be to build as much housing in those communities as fast as possible?” he asked.
Conclusion
The county’s motion is a response to the devastating wildfires that have left many residents displaced and in need of temporary housing solutions. While the intention to prioritize rebuilding efforts is understandable, the proposal has raised concerns among housing advocates who fear it could undermine the state’s efforts to address the region’s affordable housing crisis.
FAQs
* What is the county’s proposed motion?
+ The county is seeking a temporary exemption from certain state laws to allow for faster rebuilding efforts in unincorporated areas such as Altadena.
* What are the concerns about the proposal?
+ Affordable housing advocates argue that the proposal could undermine the state’s efforts to address the region’s affordable housing crisis.
* What is the goal of the county’s motion?
+ The county’s goal is to allow residents to quickly rebuild their homes and communities in the wake of the wildfires.
