Senator Wiener’s Statement on Senate Housing Package

SACRAMENTO - Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) issued the following statement on the announcement of a Senate housing package.

Senator Wiener is a joint author of legislation with Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), SB 1120, which would allow two-unit zoning statewide and to allow lots to be subdivided, resulting in two duplex buildings (i.e., four units) per parcel. Senator Wiener is also authoring legislation, SB 902, to provide cities with an expedited, streamlined process to rezone land for up to ten-unit buildings.

 Finally, Senator Wiener continues to advance SB 899, which will allow churches and other nonprofits to build affordable housing on their land. According to a new study by the Terner Center, this legislation will open up a huge amount of new church-owned land for affordable housing.

Senator Wiener’s statement:

“The Senate came together to produce an impactful housing package that will lead to more housing for Californians. We face a multi-million home shortage that is driving people into poverty and homelessness, increasing carbon emissions, driving young people out of our state, and forcing people into multi-hour commutes. We must change course and prioritize new housing. This legislative package, building on our work over the past few years, is a strong step forward. To be clear, more work remains in the coming years – we won’t solve our housing crisis in one year – but this package is progress, and I’m proud to author or co-author these bills.”