A highly controversial affordable housing legislative proposal, SB 50, is making waves in California. This week, the legislation introduced by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) cleared its first Senate committee, with some amendments.
If the hotly debated legislation passes both houses and gets Governor Newsome’s approval, SB 50 could increase property rights and remove local control of cities and counties.
According to an LA Times report, several provisions of SB 4 were rolled into SB 50, a compromise between Sen. Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) and Sen.Wiener.
If SB 50 becomes law, owners of single-family homes in most of California would be permitted, by right, to divide their property into 2, 3, or 4 apartments, regardless of current local zoning restrictions for single-family use. And local governments in “transit-rich” areas would have to permit 4- and 5-story apartment buildings.
Presumably, most of these units would be built specifically as rent apartment, but others could be condominium units for sale.
Whether that’s good or bad depends on your political perspective
