Following last week’s news of new zoning regulations heading to the Governor’s desk, Gavin Newsom has signed legislation that will allow for duplex construction on most properties with single homes. SB 10 was authored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), with the goal of making it faster and easier for cities to zone for more housing.
Opponents argued that the law would take away local control and put properties at risk. The law, however, has provisions to prevent the displacement of renters and protect homes in fire-prone areas, among other instances.
Supporters of the new law say the move is an effective way to meet otherwise inadequate construction of new housing in the state. Not all housing advocates are happy, though. Some have criticized the legislation for not containing affordable housing mandates.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Newsom set a goal in 2019 of building half a million new housing units a year for seven years to erase the estimated 3.5 million homes the state would need by 2025. California has averaged 109,000 homes a year for the past five years.