Why Some Tenant Groups Are Opposing California’s Density Bill
“In hopes of addressing one of the most dire housing shortages of any state in the U.S., California State Sen. Scott Wiener is trying to rally support for a bill that would allow new multifamily housing in cities across the state. Like SB827, a similar Wiener proposal that was quickly killed last year, the new bill, SB50, would remove local control from some zoning decisions, requiring cities to permit dense housing projects near job centers or transit nodes. It incorporates inclusionary housing standards that would require developers to provide various amounts of low-income housing in new apartment buildings, depending on the size of the project. Unlike SB827, SB50 appears to have some momentum. SB50 was approved by two key legislative committees in April, and polls suggest it has the support of most California residents. But it has also generated opposition from some groups that are typically supportive of affordable-housing efforts.”