For Immediate Release

Contact: Elisa Rivera

(209) 726-5495 Elisa.Rivera@sen.ca.gov

Senator M. Caballero Announces Legislation to Increase Homeownership Opportunities for Californians

SB 684 makes it faster and easier to build smaller, more naturally affordable homes

Sacramento - Senator Anna M. Caballero (D-Merced) announced today the introduction of SB 684 – legislation to make it faster and easier to build smaller, naturally lower-cost homes and create more ownership opportunities for first-time homebuyers. 

California’s extreme housing shortage has put homeownership out of reach for many hard working Californians, including teachers, nurses, first responders and their families. Fewer than 55% of Californians live in homes they or their families own, the second lowest rate of homeownership in the U.S. communities of color fare even worse – African American homeownership rates are 26% lower and Latino homeownership rates are 19% lower than white Californians. 

“Most Californians, and especially communities of color, who want to buy a house cannot do so because of extremely high housing costs,” said Senator Anna M. Caballero. “SB 684 is a crucial tool to make it easier and more affordable for hardworking Californians to own their own homes near their jobs, schools, and families by making smaller, lower-cost homes more abundant.”

For decades, redlining – the practice of intentionally denying mortgages to people of color – prevented non-white families from buying homes in resource-rich neighborhoods. Today local policies in many communities continue this legacy by prohibiting smaller housing options that more working-class residents and communities of color can afford, like condominiums and townhomes. 

SB 684 will make it faster and easier to divide property into smaller individual lots to build several, smaller homes. The bill expedites the subdivision mapping process to accelerate the construction of homes by as much as 6-12 months and streamlines approvals for homeownership projects of 10 units or less in urban infill areas. 

Streamlined projects cannot demolish low-income or rent controlled housing and only applies to vacant lots in single-family neighborhoods. In order to qualify for streamlining, these small infill developments of 10 units or less must also comply with local inclusionary requirements, setbacks, and height limits and environmental sustainability standards. 

“Homeownership is how most Americans build wealth but it is now at its lowest level since the 1940s,” said Adam Briones, CEO of California Community Builders. “By creating more low-cost homes for sale, SB 684 will increase financial security for more Californians and help close the racial wealth gap.”

“Too many of California’s families are forced to leave their communities to find housing they can afford,” said Brian Hanlon, CEO of California YIMBY. “By making it legal to build smaller, more affordable ‘starter homes,’ SB 684 will give more Californians a pathway to home ownership – and help more families and workers live in the communities where they feel most at home.”

“Exclusionary housing policies have denied too many families–especially Black and Latino families–the generational wealth and security provided by homeownership,” said Ricardo Flores, Executive Director of LISC San Diego. “Small lot developments are a proven tool to create more equitable ownership opportunities.”

“High housing costs have kept many communities, especially in the Central Valley, racially and economically segregated,” said Eric Payne, Executive Director of the Central Valley Urban Institute. “SB 684 will significantly increase access to desirable neighborhoods.”

For interviews or inquiries, please contact Elisa Rivera at:

(209) 726-5495

Senator Anna M. Caballero represents the 14^th Senate District, composed of majority portions of Merced, Fresno and Madera Counties.

* Senator Anna M. Caballero serves as the Interim Representative for the Salinas Valley and San Benito County until 2024 when a newly elected Senator will assume the district