New state law allows up to 4 units per single-family lot. That’s a good thing for SLO County
Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed multiple bipartisan pieces of legislation aimed at tackling barriers to affordable housing in California, currently ranked 49th out of the 50 states in per-capita housing supply.
SB 9, which goes into effect in January, advances an accessible process for homeowners to build additional units or split their residential lots, thereby increasing housing inventory.
Locally, the new law could result in 8,500 new units in San Luis Obispo County which is 11.32% of the total housing units in the county. The Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley estimates that about 700,000 new homes would become economically feasible statewide under the law’s provisions, including 126,000 in Los Angeles alone.
While SB 9 has the potential to be one of the most impactful changes in housing policies in years, opponents of the bill aren’t as enthused as many homeowners who hope to preserve the look and feel of their neighborhoods. And since their wealth is tied to their property, there’s a fear that increasing density could affect the value of their home.
Critics of the law are rallying support for an upcoming ballot measure, Californians for Community Planning, and are working to put an initiative on the November 2022 ballot that would give local zoning laws priority. They’re appealing to current California homeowners who see change as less of a growth opportunity and more of a needless risk. Yet in practice, SB 9 simply advances an accessible process for homeowners to build additional units or split their residential lot.
Thankfully, there are limitations to the bill set in place to protect our California neighborhoods. This bill pertains to homeowners only, with an owner occupancy requirement that prevents institutional investors from remaking neighborhoods.
Furthermore, in regard to maintaining the integrity of local communities, homeowners must comply with local zoning and building requirements.
Throughout the pandemic, California has seen record rates of residents leaving the state for more affordable cities, subsequently providing an opportunity for some first-time home buyers to enter the market due to historically low interest rates.
However, it shouldn’t take a worldwide health crisis and economic recession for up-and-coming generations to finally be able to buy a house in the nation’s most coveted real estate markets. Homeowners have deep emotional ties to their property and many like the way their neighborhoods currently look and feel. SB 9 is challenging this NIMBY (not in my backyard) resistance by addressing the housing shortage in California, financially incentivizing current homeowners to upgrade their lots by adding housing units onto their property.
This is an opportunity to help create change and we ask the citizens of San Luis Obispo to support this initiative to create more housing opportunities. Will this change the density and aesthetic of some neighborhoods? It might, but it may not be as drastic as people think, and it certainly won’t happen overnight. While this bill does not solve the affordable housing crisis, it is a step in the right direction and gives current homeowners a chance to increase access within their neighborhoods and make them more welcoming.
San Luis Obispo resident Kyle Smith and Los Angeles resident Christine Cooley are studying for a Master’s Degree in social work at USC.
This story was originally published October 26, 2021 at 6:00 AM.