Yesterday, the Assembly Local Government Committee rejected Senate Bill 1385, the Neighborhood Homes Act. This bill provided local governments with the necessary tools to allow residential development on underperforming or vacant commercial retail and office space in order to eliminate blight and create much-needed housing clos to services and transportation routes.

I was proud to author this bill in partnership with Senator Rubio and several other members of the Senate. My colleagues and I worked tirelessly with stakeholders to craft a package of housing bills, SB 1385 amongst them. This bill received the support of all of my colleagues, Republican and Democrat alike, as it moved through the Senate earlier this year because the bill is a pragmatic solution to reusing commercially zoned real estate for housing. As the pandemic has made clear, consumers are shifting their purchasing power online at an accelerated rate. Even before the pandemic, big box retailers and strip malls have struggled with abandoned retail space throughout California, with more retailers facing bankruptcy and closing their physical locations.

I am shocked and dismayed that even after a firm commitment to accept almost all of the Assembly Local Government Committee’s amendments, and work together to address the remaining small concerns; the Chair recommended a no vote and effectively blocked the bill from moving forward. Every single Californian should demand to know why the Assembly opposed the need to build affordable housing without contributing to unsustainable sprawl.

Californians across the state are suffering because the Legislature fails to enact new policies to address the housing crisis. This bill was not the single answer to the State’s housing crisis; however, it provided a real pathway to add a significant supply of affordable housing so that Californians could pursue the dream of home ownership or a reasonable, affordable rent. I will keep fighting for my constituents and all Californians who struggle to find housing, and hope that my colleagues in both houses of the Legislature will look past personal politics so that the right policies like SB 1385 make it into law.

Additional Comment From Co-Author Senator Susan Rubio:

“California's housing crisis demands serious solutions. I was proud to joint-author SB 1385 with Senator Caballero and collaborate with diverse stakeholders on this important bill, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate. Californians are demanding we solve this crisis, and this bill is a big part of the solution,” said Senator Susan Rubio.

Senator Anna M. Caballero represents the 12th Senate District, composed of Merced, Madera, and San Benito Counties,
and portions of Fresno, Monterey, and Stanislaus Counties.
###