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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAB 306 (Schultz) - State Building Standards - City of SLO - LETTER OF OPPOSITION unless amendedCity of San Luis Obispo, Office of the City Council, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401-3249, 805.781.7114, slocity.org June 13, 2025 Honorable State Senator Aisha Wahab Chair, Senate Committee on Housing 1021 ‘O’ Street, #3330 Sacramento, CA 95814 SHou.Committee@senate.ca.gov Honorable State Senator Maria Elena Durazo Chair, Senate Committee on Local Government State Capitol, Room #407 Sacramento, CA 95814 slcl.committee@senate.ca.gov RE: AB 306 (Schultz, Rivas) – State Building Standards – OPPOSE UNLESS AMENDED Dear Chair Wahab and Chair Durazo: On behalf of the City of San Luis Obispo, I write to inform you that the City has shifted its position on AB 306 from “Oppose” to “Oppose Unless Amended.” We remain deeply concerned about the unintended consequences of the bill as currently drafted—particularly its potential to stall innovation, delay progress on climate goals, and restrict local flexibility—but we also recognize the bill’s momentum and appreciate the opportunity to engage constructively to improve it. As a community that has consistently demonstrated a commitment to sustainable growth, housing affordability, and local innovation—including earning a Pro-Housing Designation from the Department of Housing and Community Development—we share the Legislature’s goal of building more housing in California. However, AB 306 as currently written could hinder our community’s ability to adopt modern building codes that enhance energy efficiency, disaster resilience, and cost- effectiveness for our residents. Mayor Stewart and Vice Mayor Shoresman recently signed on to a letter with specific amendments that, if incorporated, would address many of our concerns while preserving the bill’s core objective of facilitating housing construction. We are writing to summarize the intent of the most important proposed amendments, which include: 1. Limit the moratorium to new residential construction and exempt renovations of existing buildings. This focus ensures we can continue to pursue cost-effective upgrades—such as replacing aging systems with high-efficiency alternatives—that directly benefit homeowners and renters through lower utility bills. 2. Preserve the ability for jurisdictions to adopt all-electric building standards or similar decarbonization measures if these were adopted or pending prior to January 1, 2025. This helps us continue the state’s progress toward carbon neutrality. 3. Allow local building code changes that demonstrably reduce construction costs, streamline permitting, or add alternative compliance pathways to reduce administrative burdens— ultimately supporting the construction of more affordable housing. Additionally, we urge that the process for developing and considering the 2031 State Building Standards not be delayed or disrupted. Preparatory work and stakeholder engagement should continue so that California can maintain its leadership in sustainable building practices. We appreciate your consideration of these amendments and your ongoing collaboration on housing legislation. We look forward to engaging with you and your committees to ensure AB 306 can achieve its housing goals while protecting local innovation, affordability, climate action, and public safety. Thank you for your leadership. Sincerely, Erica A. Stewart Mayor City of San Luis Obispo CC: Assemblymember Nick Schultz Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire Assemblymember Dawn Addis Senator John Laird Dave Mullinax, League of California Cities League of California Cities, cityletters@cacities.org