Susan Kirsch, Founder of Livable California sends this message to take action around SB50.
Note that Livable Mountain View was formed before the other Livable orgs, and while we have different views on issues facing California, and want to promote building housing with planning for schools, parks, transit and infrastructure like sewers and water systems to support this new housing.
Mountain View put in 18% of housing built in Santa Clara County last year, and yet we are less than 1% of the land mass. We cannot ask people to live in density without parks, or provide schools for kids etc. So we must plan it locally, and the state bills that will remove local zoning are “one sized fits all”. But Mountain View isn’t like Modesto or even Fremont. We are different, and are managing getting a lot of housing in quickly without the State of California handcuffing our city and ruining our historic downtown.
Therefore we oppose these bills and suggest the state find other ways to encourage communities not putting in dense housing to do so, because MV is building in excess of the State standards for adding new housing.
Hi All –
We’ve had inquiries about advocacy, priorities and action during the next few weeks. Here’s a guide.
You’re not expected to do everything; only that you do one or two things–the ones that you’re good at!
Resource for all bills: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/
ADVOCACY. Livable CA, working closely with Coalition to Preserve LA, is focusing on legislative advocacy, especially opposing SB 50, SB 330, and AB 1487.
SB-50 (Wiener) Planning and zoning: housing development: incentives.
Schedule, Actions, Contacts
Now – Make calls, send email to Senate Governance & Finance Committee, recruit others to call and send emails
4/17 – Deadline to email comments to Anton.Favorini-Csorba@sen.ca.gov. Subject line: OPPOSE SB 50.
4/17 – Deadline to email letters to the full committee: https://calegislation.lc.ca.gov/Advocates/
4/23 – Livable CA, Coalition to Preserve LA Lobby Day. Contact Rick Hall: Rick@LivableCA.
4/24 – Governance & Finance Committee Hearing, Sacramento. 9:00 am, Room 112. Get a sticker.
Resource: Please Share this Stop SB50 Link – Click Here
SENATE Governance & Finance Committee
Mike McGuire, Chair (916) 651-4002 senator.mcguire@senate.ca.gov
John Moorlach, VC (916) 651-4037 https://moorlach.cssrc.us/content/my-offices
Jim Beall (916) 651-4015 https://sd15.senate.ca.gov/send-e-mail
Robert Hertzberg (916) 651-4018 https://sd18.senate.ca.gov/contact/email
Melissa Hurtado (916) 651-4014 https://sd14.senate.ca.gov/contact
Jim Nielsen (916) 651-4004 https://nielsen.cssrc.us/content/email-me
Scott Wiener (916) 651-4011 https://sd11.senate.ca.gov/contact
SB-330 (Skinner) Housing Crisis Act of 2019.
Schedule, Actions, Contacts
Now – Make calls, send email to Senate Housing Committee, recruit others to call and send emails.
Noon: Deadline to email comments to Subject line: OPPOSE SB 330. Sample: Livable California letter attached
4/17 – Deadline to email letters to the full committee: https://calegislation.lc.ca.gov/Advocates/
4/22 – Housing Committee Hearing, 3:00 pm, Room 112.
Issues with SB 330: 1) Restricts a local jurisdiction or ballot measure or initiative from downsizing or imposing building moratoria on land where housing is an allowable use; 2) Prohibits a city or county from conducting more than three hearings on an application for a housing development project; and 3) Prevails as a ten-year emergency statute.
Script: I’m calling re: SB 330. Me and my voting neighbors and friends OPPOSE this bill and urge Senator ___ to vote “No.”
SENATE Housing Committee
Scott Wiener, Chair (916) 651-4011
Mike Morrell, VC (916) 651-4023
Anna Caballero (916) 651-4012
Maria Durazo (916) 651-4024
Shannon Grove (916) 651-4016
Mike McGuire (916) 651-4002
John Moorlach (916) 651-4037
Richard Roth (916) 651-4031
Nancy Skinner (916) 651-4009
Thomas Umberg (916) 651-4034
Bob Wieckowski (916) 651-4010
AB-1487 (Chiu) San Francisco Bay area: housing development: financing.
Schedule, Actions, Contacts
Now – Make calls, send email to Assembly Committee on Local Government, recruit others to call and send emails.
4/18 – Letters due by 5 pm: https://alcl.assembly.ca.gov/ Go to “Submit Position Letter.” Sample: Livable California letter attached
4/24 – Local Government Committee Hearing at 1:30, Room 127
Issues with AB 1487 (comes out of the flawed CASA Compact): 1) Establishes the Housing Alliance for the Bay Area (HABA), a new regional entity serving the 9-county Bay Area to fund affordable housing, preservation and tenant protection programs; 2) Authority to place unspecified revenue measures on the ballot, issue bonds, allocate funds, etc.; 3) Governed by a Board composed of members of MTC (9) and ABAG (9) and staffed by MTC; 4) A trial Trojan Horse rolled out in the Bay Area, and with success is likely to be rolled out around the state.
Script: “I’m calling re: AB 1487. Me and my voting neighbors and friends OPPOSE this bill and urge Assembly member ___ to vote “No.”
ASSEMBLY Committee on Local Government
Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, Chair (916) 319-2004
Tom Lackey, VC (916) 319-2036
Richard Bloom (916) 319-2050
Tasha Boerner Horvath (916) 319-2076
James Ramos (916) 319-2040
Luz Rivas (916) 319-2039
Robert Rivas (916) 319-2030
Randy Voepel (916) 319-2071
Don’t give up!! This is a long-haul effort to stop SB 50 and the other bills that threaten communities. Sen. Wiener and his colleagues have had over a year to build momentum, relying on MTC, CASA, Bay Area Council network, Silicon Valley Leadership power, etc. We are the David in this battle with Goliath. Here’s what happens next.
- April 11-April 21 -Legislators are on Spring Recess. They’re likely home. Make an appointment for you and 1-2 others to meet with your local representatives. If you can’t get a face-to-face meeting, convey your concerns by phone.
- May 31 – Last day for bills to pass on their floor of origin (Senate Bills on the Senate Floor; Assembly Bills on the Assembly Floor. We’ll continue to lobby between 4/24 and 5/31 with a goal to defeat the bills.
- July 12 – If SB 50 and SB 330 are still alive, they will be heard in Assembly Committee before 7/12. We’ll lobby to defeat and are told our chances might be better in the Assembly
- August 6 – Last day for Assembly to make amendments on the floor.
- September 13 – Last day or any bill to be passed to go to the Governor
- October 13 – Last day for governor to sign or veto SB 50 and all other bills
What does your imagination and creativity nudge you to do?
THANKS for all your efforts! Sometimes success comes from the most unlikely source, strategy, person or idea.
Hold the vision: SB 50, SB 330, AB 1487 and others – go down to defeat! We change the narrative.
Best wishes,
Susan
Susan Kirsch, Founder
Livable California
