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Homes In God’s Backyard: California Lawmakers Pass Bill For Housing On Church Land
Pastor Adrienne Zackery hopes to revitalize Crossroads United Methodist Church in Compton by building housing on its land.
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David Wagner/LAist
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Topline:
California lawmakers have passed a bill that aims to give churches and colleges the right to develop affordable housing on their own property, bypassing local restrictions that currently prevent apartments from getting built on empty parking lots and underused land.
The details: If signed into law, Senate Bill 4 would allow nonprofit higher education institutions and faith-based organizations to develop 100% affordable housing projects “by right.” That means they could side-step lengthy, expensive and uncertain reviews imposed by local governments that often oppose such projects. The bill passed the state Assembly last week and cleared a final vote in the state Senate on Monday, with only two senators voting no.
Why it matters: Local housing advocate John Oh told LAist earlier this year that his organization L.A. Voice is already working with about 20 local congregations who hope to build a total of about 2,000 new affordable apartments. “It’s a big deal,” Oh said of the bill’s passage. “About two-thirds of the sites in our inventory are in low-density, residential zones that make it nearly impossible to build affordable housing. SB 4 will open new opportunities to build housing.”
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The potential impact: Researchers with the University of California, Berkeley’s Terner Center for Housing Innovation recently released a study that found the bill could unlock more than 171,000 acres of land owned by nonprofit colleges and faith-based organizations that could be suitable for affordable housing. To put that in perspective, the researchers say that acreage is nearly five times the size of the city of Oakland.
What’s next: Gov. Gavin Newsom must sign the bill by Oct. 14 in order for it to become law.
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Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
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