A big day in the legislature for pro-housing legislation! Three pieces of California YIMBY-sponsored legislation moved out of the second chamber. Combined with laws we've helped to pass in recent years, it will never be easier to build missing middle housing in California. 🧵
Background: In 2021, California made history by adopting SB 9, which aimed to allow duplexes and lot splits. When combined with robust ADU law, the goal was to allow for up to four units on lots in residential areas—key for ending our shortage.
Unfortunately, a few bad actor cities found ways found ways to torpedo law with unworkable standards, and many more slow walked it, resulting in few duplexes or lot splits. Working with researchers and practitioners, we cataloged these issues. ternercenter.berkeley.edu/research-and-p…
Even crazier, a lower court decided that the law simply wouldn't apply in much of the state. We were confident that higher courts would reverse, but why wait? Last year, we codified findings into law making it clear that SB 9 applied statewide. latimes.com/california/new…