[ad_1]
Candidate for governor in 2020, Gavin Newsom campaigned on a “bold goal” to add 3.5 million homes in our state by 2025. Last week, he signed a package of bills aimed at to promote the production of housing, in particular the financing of 84,000 new affordable housing units, 44,000 intended for the housing of the homeless. That brings him to 31 housing bills he signed this legislative session, totaling $ 22 billion in funding for affordable housing in California.
The most controversial of the measures he enacted is SB 9, drafted by Senate Speaker Pro Tem Toni Atkins. Some 70% of residential land in California towns and villages is currently restricted to “single-family” zoning. The bill allows owners of these areas to create duplexes or divide their lots in half – as of right. It legalizes necessary “missing” housing alternatives that bridge the gap between “one house on a lot” zoning and large multi-storey condo and apartment projects.
The bill passed with bipartisan support in the face of near-hysterical opposition from the League of California Cities and local homeowner groups. They argued that the bill would “destroy the character of single-family neighborhoods.” Ironically, the vehemence of their resistance leaves them ill-prepared to use their local authority to avoid the dangers they fear.
Before the invention of “single-family” zoning, largely as a way to legally separate neighborhoods by race and class, residential neighborhoods across California contained a mix of housing types. As architect Karen Parolek of Opticos Design in Berkeley points out, “Low-rise, tree-lined neighborhoods with duplexes, quads, back units and other compatible building types create more housing choices that are more accessible to young families, seniors, singles and low-income people. -income households. They are better able to support both nearby local businesses and public transport. As a result, they are more accessible on foot and have a lower carbon footprint per capita. These types of buildings already exist in popular neighborhoods. They are not scary. Yet the importance of design has been lost in the controversy.
She points out that SB 9 allows minimum side yard setbacks, but does not address front setbacks, which are more critical, providing semi-private space, “at least enough room for a front porch or porch to promote type. neighborhood interface that reinforces the resilience of the community. This can be corrected if cities put in place strict but objective design rules to ensure that new development complements existing neighborhoods.
The enduring beauty of older neighborhoods that pre-date “single-family” restrictions teaches us the illusion of relying on current formulas for artificial housing density. The best route to more affordable housing and protecting the character of the neighborhood is to set and stick to high standards of design. Today, single-family housing projects trigger a standoff between developers and local neighbors, fueling bitter and costly community polarization. With SB 9 coming into effect in just three months, cities should act now to regulate new housing that they no longer have the power to ban. Instead of ranting at state interference, they should use the time to adopt design codes to avoid the kind of ugly and intrusive development that many now fear.
Design matters. My Historic Pasadena District has a rich diversity of home types – before COVID, we hosted thousands of visitors for our annual home tour. Communities can once again accommodate more housing choices in every neighborhood, but only if they act wisely and quickly to use the power they retain by putting in place sound design rules. “That alone can provide the predictability and protection neighbors want,” Parolek advises. “Cities can use form-based codes to be prescriptive about the design of what’s being built, and then ditch discretionary review because they can trust the code to do the job.”
Cities complain about the loss of local control. This is an opportunity for them to exercise local responsibility by ensuring that the “missing link” habitat diversifies and enriches our residential neighborhoods.
Rick Cole is a former mayor of Pasadena and city manager of Azusa, Ventura and Santa Monica. Write to him at [email protected].
[ad_2]
Source link