News, In groundbreaking plan, California allows affordable housing on some commercial properties : detailed suggestions and opinions about In groundbreaking plan, California allows affordable housing on some commercial properties .
In a historic deal between affordable housing groups and labor unions, Gov. Gavin Newsom will sign two major bills on Wednesday to convert underutilized and vacant commercial buildings into housing.
Senate Bill 6 and Assembly Bill 2011 incentivize housing projects in commercial corridors otherwise zoned for large retail and office buildings as a way to help California fill a multimillion-unit shortage in its housing supply. Both bills guarantee union-scale wages and promise an expedited construction process, while keeping development close to city centers to help the state meet its environmental goals and avoid sprawl.
Gridlock among several opposing forces in the Capitol — where unions, developers and affordable housing groups regularly stall legislation over disputed labor standards — nearly capsized this year’s historic deal. The powerful State Building and Construction Trades Council of California backed SB 6, along with builders and business groups, while the California Conference of Carpenters and the Service Employees International Union of California broke from other labor groups to support AB 2011.
“Every organization took a position that benefited them the best and decided which bill they wanted to support. And part of the challenge there is that each coalition of people were ready to have the other bill die in order for their bill to be successful,” said state Sen. Anna Caballero (D-Salinas). “The problem was that you couldn’t get to that perfect middle with some of the groups. They just wouldn’t go there.”
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