TO: Senator Monique Limon, Assemblyman Gregg Hart
Citizens Planning Association was established in 1960 to encourage the local community to participate in the planning process. We have supported planning that will make our local jurisdictions sustainable for all residents. Today CPA writes to convey our concern about the governor’s housing trailer bill, AB/SB 130 which we believe is being fast-tracked as part of the state budget process. We believe tacking on concepts of 20 housing proposals to the State Budget is pushing the public out of the process and seems to mark an attempt to eviscerate CEQA, the foundation of planning and development in California for many decades
From an initial reading of the bill, it seems you are being asked to vote on provisions which would severely limit local communities’ ability to mitigate the environmental and community impacts of large-scale development, especially for market rate projects that offer very little affordability. You are being asked to gut CEQA for high-end market rate housing while not helping our local workforce or our low-wage earners. The Santa Barbara area needs more deed-restricted affordable housing. And by the way, most affordable housing projects are already eligibile for CEQA streamlining under current law.
This ‘trailer’ bill would probably further override local zoning and bypass CEQA, with only minimal affordability and the end of local accountability.
In closing, please oppose AB/SB 130. What is good for the Bay Area is not always good for Santa Barbara and the Central Coast you represent. The tenets of CEQA are the foundation of planning in our area. Please vote to remove AB609 and SB607 CEQA language from the budget bill. CEQA might not be perfect and might benefit from a closer look at the local and state level. But that should be done in an inclusive and transparent process. Legislature should also prioritize finding funding so more affordable housing can be built.
Marell Brooks
President, Citizens Planning Association