SB 684, a new law in California, aims to facilitate the creation of affordable “starter” homes by simplifying the approval process for small-scale infill developments, specifically for projects with 10 or fewer units in multi-family zones. This legislation addresses the critical issue of homeownership affordability in California, where the average home price was notably high compared to median household incomes in 2020. The state has one of the lowest homeownership rates in the U.S., with even larger disparities observed in BIPOC communities, leading to significant wealth gaps.
Originally, SB 684 intended to also include vacant lots in single-family zones for development, but amendments later restricted this to multi-family zones. The law modifies the Subdivision Map Act to streamline the process for creating more housing units on a single parcel, while still ensuring protections for existing low-income and rent-controlled housing.
The bill, authored by Caballero (D, SD 14), successfully passed through the California legislative process, including unanimous Senate approval and amendments in the Assembly, before being signed into law by the governor.
Source link: https://cayimby.org/legislation/sb-684-building-homeownership/
Source Name: CA YIMBY
