Taking away local control on housing

Sep 16, 2021
Sep 16, 2021 Updated Apr 13, 2025
2

Editor,

Regarding your article, “San Mateo loses ruling on housing” in the Sept. 14 edition of the Daily Journal, it’s a sad sign of the times when people can come from outside your city to dictate what you do.

(2) comments

aurosharman Sep 16, 2021 2:55pm

SB9 will never be used by anyone you would regard as a "developer". It cannot be applied by the same applicant to adjacent lots, and it has a residence requirement -- the applicant to convert the lot has to live in one of the new units for at least three years. Even for a house flipper, they want to buy the property, clean up the surfaces in six months or less, and get back on the market -- they do not want to do anything that would require dealing with building or planning departments, because that would introduce the risk of unpredictable delays, tying up their capital for months or even years. (This is why, if you actually go house shopping in the Bay Area, you will see many properties that have pretty granite countertops, yet still have dangerous century-old electrical wiring, or HVAC systems that pose massive carbon monoxide risks.) SB9 will mostly be used by retired empty nesters who want a bit of rental income in their retirement, or parents who want to create a starter home for a kid, or (quite likely in my own case) kids who want to create a place for their aging parents.

And of course SB10 grants more power to City Councils to re-zone without interference from frivolous CEQA suits (which is to say, the vast majority of CEQA suits: https://www.vox.com/22534714/rail-roads-infrastructure-costs-america ). SB 10 _increases_ local control. Some people are just afraid that they are losing a tool they have used to impose their minority preference on the rest of us.

Dirk van Ulden Sep 17, 2021 8:17pm

Dear autosharman - please define "the rest of us". An immediate family member mentioned that developers, he works for them, had a champagne party when Newsom signed these bills. You are clearly not aware of the true purpose of these bills which are designed to destroy the American dream to further equity so that our offspring will live in boring row houses and high rise apartment buildings. Do you really believe that youngsters are looking forward to just a roof and a front door?

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