Assemblymember Alvarez’s AB 2560 Passes the Housing Committee to Expand Coastal Housing Access in California

(Sacramento) Yesterday, the Assembly Housing Committee approved Assembly Bill 2560, authored by Assemblymember David Alvarez (D-San Diego). This legislation would eliminate the exemption of the Coastal Zone from the state's Housing Density Bonus Law.

“Wealthier areas along California’s coast need to do their part in building more housing,” said Assemblymember David Alvarez. “This change in the highly successful ‘Density Bonus Law’ will make sure that communities along the coast also build housing for low and middle income Californians. The current law prevents housing along with denying access to California’s coast to the average citizen”

AB 2560 eliminates the provision that currently prevents the application of the Density Bonus Law within the Coastal Zone. This aims to enable areas already zoned for housing to construct additional units in exchange for reserving a percentage for moderate, low, and very-low income households.

According to the National Association of Home Builders, in the third quarter of 2019, eight out of ten least-affordable major metropolitan areas in the nation were in California, seven of which were along the coast, making median-priced homes unaffordable to fewer than one in four households.

 “The State Legislature has passed measures to address the housing crisis, but these laws have excluded coastal communities. However, there is a growing consensus among the Legislature and advocates that this is not fair, as these communities are some of the most expensive and exclusive in the state. The proposed legislation aims to ensure that state Density Bonus Law applies in the Coastal Zone without an arbitrary and uncertain approval process, to facilitate mixed-income housing developments.” Michael Lane, Policy Director, SPUR

“Density bonuses give a proportionate increase to housing in places already zoned for it. But ironically the part of California that needs it most - our heavily segregated coastal zone - has a special exemption. Removing the special exemption for wealthy coastal areas would be the best way to improve housing access in coastal areas already zoned for density, while still protecting our important coastal environmental resources.” William Moore, Policy Counsel, Circulate SD

Assembly Bill 2560 will be heard next in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. The bill is supported by many groups including Circulate San Diego (Sponsor), the California Building Industry Association and the City of San Diego.