HomeMy WebLinkAbout5-24-2022 AB 2011 - Oppose
May 24, 2022
The Honorable Buffy Wicks
Chair, Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development
1020 N Street, Suite 156
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: AB 2011 (Wicks) Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act of 2022
Notice of Opposition (As amended 4/18/2022)
Dear Assembly Member Wicks:
The City of San Luis Obispo writes to express our opposition to your measure AB 2011, which
would require cities to ministerially approve, without condition or discretion, certain affordable
housing and mixed-use housing developments in zones where office, retail, or parking are a
principally permitted use regardless of any inconsistency with a local government’s general
plan, specific plan, zoning ordinance, or regulation. As part of implementing its new Housing
Element, the City has already taken action to allow, by right, mixed-use development in all of its
commercial zoning districts. AB 2011 would further frustrate community concerns with respect
to local control and it is unnecessary to support housing development in our city.
The City of San Luis Obispo has already implemented many other measures, consistent with
our adopted Housing Element, to streamline the production of housing in our community.
Eliminating opportunities for public review of housing developments goes against the principles
of transparency and public engagement. Public hearings allow members of the community to
inform their representatives of their support or concerns. “Streamlining” in the context of AB
2011 is a shortcut around public input. However, the public hearing and input process that exists
in San Luis Obispo does not burden housing projects with unnecessary delays or uncertain
outcomes. Housing development is already protected in this regard by the Housing
Accountability Act and Density Bonus Law. In this context, public engagement often leads to
better projects and facilitates civil discourse and community education on important housing
laws and policies. Disregarding community input will increase public distrust in government,
drive unnecessary divisions and litigation, and may have the unintended consequence of
increasing efforts by voters to restrict growth.
Upon certification of our 6th Cycle General Plan Housing Element by the State Housing and
Community Development in September 2021, the City of San Luis Obispo has worked diligently
and methodically to implement several measures to greatly streamline and expand housing
opportunities in accordance with the adopted element that went through a vigorous public
process. Measures to date include allowing mixed uses in all of our office and commercial
districts, amending our zoning ordinance to greatly streamline processes for housing
developments under 50-units, and adopting objective design standards that provide greater
certainty in the permitting process for both housing developers and neighborhood residents.
We are currently engaged in public outreach regarding our Inclusionary Housing Ordinance
update so that we may increase the supply of affordable housing in accordance with our
Housing Element. There are limited regions within the City, particularly within Specific Plan
areas near our airport, where residential and mixed uses are not allowed due to safety and clear
land use compatibility concerns. The City’s ability to thoughtfully address unique geographical
and safety concerns through its streamlined, but inclusive local development review process
would be jeopardized with the implementation of AB 2011 and could arbitrarily conflict with our
City’s carefully crafted General Plan policies to the long term detriment of both housing
production and public engagement in our City.
The City of San Luis Obispo is committed to being part of the solution to the housing shortfall
across all income levels and will work collaboratively with you and other stakeholders on
legislative proposals that will spur much needed housing construction without shortchanging
public engagement and disregarding the state-mandated local planning process.
For these reasons, the City of San Luis Obispo opposes AB 2011.
Sincerely,
Erica A. Stewart
Mayor
City of San Luis Obispo
cc: The Honorable Buffy Wicks
Senator John Laird, Fax: (916) 651-4017
Assembly Member Jordan Cunningham, Fax (916) 319-2135
Dave Mullinax, League of California Cities, dmullinax@cacities.org
League of California Cities (via email: cityletters@calcities.org)