Controversial SB 50 Officially Dead After Failing To Pass In The Senate. Now What?

Pedestrians cross the street as construction workers work on the exterior of a commercial and residential building going up in Hollywood, California on January 22, 2014. US housing starts dived almost 10 percent in December from a five-year high but maintained robust growth for the year as the housing market recovers, government data showed last week, as new residential construction fell to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 999,900 in December. The full year 2013 data underlined the strength of last year's housing market recovery following the 2006 collapse of a price bubble. AFP PHOTO/Frederic J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images)

The controversial bill known as SB 50 officially failed to pass in the California Senate Thursday for the second time.

Lawmakers voted it down Wednesday but gave author Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, one more shot at getting it passed. According to the Sacramento Bee, Wiener only needed three more lawmakers to vote in favor of it, but no dice. The bill failed for the third year in a row. The legislation aimed to get California counties and cities to scale back zoning that limits high-density housing near transit and job centers. Wiener has said it’s necessary to address the state’s housing crisis. But the bill comes with intense opposition from local governments and homeowners who worry that it will only lead to luxury developments, according to Politico.

Today on AirTalk, we discuss the latest updates on SB 50 and what the future holds for the long-running piece of legislation.

Guest:

Jeremy B. White, co-author of Politico’s California Playbook, where he covers politics in California; he tweets

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