Big City Mayors Call for Moving SB 50 Forward this Year

May 19, 2019

San Francisco–  In response to the Senate Appropriations Chair delaying Senator Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) SB 50 (the More HOMES Act) until January, Mayors have expressed their disappointment, urging the Legislature to move SB 50 this year.

The mayors of Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Stockton, and Sacramento had this to say:

“No more delays,” said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf.  “We need more housing now. Our crisis is only deepened when bills like Scott Wiener's SB 50 get stalled, and that hurts our residents, our families, our community.”

“Nothing will ever change around housing if we keep putting off solutions like SB 50,” said San Francisco Mayor London Breed.  “We can’t keep saying no to everything if we want San Francisco to be a place where people can afford to live. I know Scott Wiener will continue his work on this important policy and he has my support.”

“We need bold, statewide solutions to our housing crisis, " said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. "SB 50 wasn't perfect, but we can’t wait another year to work out our differences."

“I'm disappointed that #SB50 was held, at least for now,” said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg.  “Thanks Scott Wiener, and don't give up. The most important measures always involve a struggle. This is worth it to address California's massive housing challenge.”

“Californians are struggling with housing *now*,” said Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs. Californians are hurting *now*. We need action *now*, not in a year. I call on the Senate to act on SB 50 this year.”

Additionally, the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Boards had this to say:

“[T]he decision by legislative leaders to put the proposal on ice, rather than keeping it going for more negotiation this session, was a surprise and a disappointment,” said the Los Angeles Times.

“California Democrats’ ballyhooed ‘resistance’ to the Trump administration pales next to their resistance to housing a reasonable share of the state’s population,” said the San Francisco Chronicle.

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