SENIOR SENATE PROPOSAL NO. 19

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR SENATOR EATON

 

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SP 19: SECOND UNIT HOUSING.

THE PLANNING AND ZONING LAW AUTHORIZES A LOCAL AGENCY TO PROVIDE BY ORDINANCE FOR THE CREATION OF 2ND UNITS ON PARCEL ZONED FOR A PRIMARY SINGLE-FAMILY AND MULTIFAMILY RESIDENCE, AS PRESCRIBED. EXISTING LAW ALSO REQUIRES MINISTERIAL APPROVAL, WITHOUT DISCRETIONARY REVIEW, OF THE LOCAL AGENCY’S FIRST APPLICATION FOR 2ND HOUSING UNITS.

EXISTING LAW AUTHORIZES A LOCAL AGENCY TO CHARGE A VARIETY OF FEES IN CONNECTION WITH A DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, AS DEFINED.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR SENIOR CITIZENS BY MINIMIZING AND STANDARDIZING ZONING REQUIREMENTS AND PERMIT AND IMPACT FEES, THEREBY REMOVING OBSTACLES FROM 2ND UNIT CONSTRUCTION.

VOTE: MAJORITY.

 

SP 19: RELATING TO SECOND UNIT HOUSING

WHEREAS, THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF ADEQUATE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR SENIOR CITIZENS IN CALIFORNIA; AND

WHEREAS, THE NUMBER OF SENIOR CITIZENS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE DRAMATICALLY EACH YEAR AS MORE MEMBERS OF THE BABY BOOMER GENERATION TURN 60 YEARS OLD; AND

WHEREAS, THE LIFE SPAN OF SENIOR CITIZENS CONTINUES TO INCREASE, WHICH MAGNIFIES THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THE FRAIL ELDERLY. IF THIS NEED IS MET, IT WOULD THEN, IN TURN, DECREASE OR STABILIZE THE NEED FOR MORE ASSISTED LIVING OR INSTITUTIONAL HOUSING FOR SENIOR CITIZENS; AND

WHEREAS, SECOND UNITS, ALSO REFERRED TO AS “GRANNY FLATS,” ARE ONE ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM. IN 2002, THE LEGISLATURE ENACTED AB 186 (CHAPTER 1062 OF THE STATUTES OF 2002), WHICH SIMPLIFIED THE PROCESS OF OBTAINING PERMITS FOR SECOND UNIT CONSTRUCTION. HOWEVER, THIS PROCESS IS STILL COMPLICATED BY THE LACK OF UNIFORMITY IN ZONING REQUIREMENTS AND IN PERMIT AND IMPACT FEES FOR SINGLE-FAMILY AND SECOND UNITS; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR SENATE AND THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2009 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT ZONING REQUIREMENTS AND PERMIT AND IMPACT FEES ON SECOND UNITS BE STANDARDIZED AND MINIMIZED THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA TO REMOVE OBSTACLES FROM SECOND UNIT CONSTRUCTION AND PROVIDE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR SENIOR CITIZENS IN CALIFORNIA; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

RN 09 16849

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