San Mateo County officials table SB 50 talk

Though several county residents stepped forward in support of a proposed resolution to back SB 50 at the supervisors’ Tuesday meeting, emails and calls from several representatives of Peninsula cities requesting meetings with county officials to discuss the bill factored into Supervisor Don Horsley’s proposal to table the discussion for the time being.

Horsley — who cosponsored the resolution with Supervisor David Canepa — also noted he would prefer to have the discussion after county and city officials meet later this month through the Home For All initiative, which gathers housing resources and information and has implemented ordinances aimed at protecting tenants and maintaining existing housing.

As a lifelong county resident and longtime law enforcement officer, Horsley said he’s seen colleagues move out of the area in search of a lower cost of living for decades and acknowledged the statewide housing shortage has been years in the making. He saw SB 50 and the flurry of state bills proposed to boost housing as a sign state legislators are mobilized in scoping solutions to the issue, noting they will also need to identify funding to implement these proposals.

“We really simply haven’t kept up with demand,” he said, according to a live video of the meeting. “It’s not only going to be the legislation that’s going to allow for certain types of housing … it’s also going to require funding.”

Slated to replace low-density zones near transportation and job centers with new standards if passed, SB 50 takes after Senate Bill 827, which Wiener, D-San Francisco, proposed last year to loosen building regulations in areas adjacent to transportation hubs as a means of incentivizing transit-oriented development. Wiener on Tuesday announced amendments to SB 50 aimed at increasing and defining affordability standards, strengthening renter protections and further define and protect sensitive communities. It also added a new definition of major transit stop to include planned rail and ferry stations, according to a press release.

In voicing support for SB 50, Evelyn Stivers, executive director of the county’s Housing Leadership Council, commended county officials for taking the issue up as well as their history of supporting housing projects throughout the county. Acknowledging challenges cities face in constructing the housing needed to meet residents’ needs, Stivers noted the need for more drastic changes to address the housing crisis.

“What we’ve been doing for the last 40 years, it’s not working and we need to look at bold change,” she said.

In thanking county officials for delaying the SB 50 discussion, Burlingame Councilman Michael Brownrigg said he very much believes the region is experiencing a housing crisis and he agreed with many that some cities such as Burlingame haven’t done their part to keep up with the demand for housing.

But Brownrigg voiced concerns that the measures laid out in Wiener’s SB 50 may not be the best solutions for cities focused on supporting housing, noting Burlingame officials and residents recently approved a General Plan anticipating the city will grow some 20 percent in 10 years. He said Burlingame officials and residents felt rezoning industrial areas to allow for mixed-use projects is the best way for the city to facilitate more housing, noting he worries about efforts to upzone cities that result in no changes.

“I think cities are stepping up, I do think your local leaders get it,” he said. “The question is ‘how do we get there?’”

Supervisor Dave Pine wondered if future conversations on SB 50 could also include discussions of other state bills aimed at boosting housing across the state, and also noted policymakers will have to consider the demand for office buildings as they scope solutions to the housing crisis.

Having recently spoken with a resident of an apartment that hasn’t had any hot water for five months, Supervisor Warren Slocum hoped officials could also continue to explore ways to protect tenants. He also commended ongoing efforts on the part of the county’s Housing Department and the Home For All initiative to invest in affordable housing projects and boost use of Section 8 vouchers, among other measures.

Though Canepa acknowledged continuing the item to another day would allow for necessary conversation on the topic, he noted officials’ obligations to make decisions for future generations and said he hoped those with concerns about SB 50 would consider the situation their children and grandchildren may find themselves in when they hope to purchase a home.

Having seen county residents move to other counties or states and more people in his district living in RVs, Canepa emphasized the urgency to take steps to address the housing crisis and identify places where more housing can be accommodated.

“This is an issue where everyone has to take responsibility,” he said. “We are in crisis and we need to take action now.”

anna@smdailyjournal.com

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