Assemblymember Alvarez Issues Statement on AB 2560 - Affordable Housing in Coastal California

(Sacramento) Today, Assemblymember David Alvarez (D-San Diego) issued the following statement on Assembly Bill 2560, which did not pass out of Senate Appropriations Committee:

“The Senate Appropriations Committee dismissed AB 2560 at my request. After reviewing recent amendments, I came to the realization that those amendments make AB 2560 ineffective at building more housing. The changes made by the amendments would not serve the purpose of requiring coastal cities to build housing, and, in many ways, acts against it.

I initially introduced AB 2560 to increase affordable housing opportunities for low and middle-income families on the coast by allowing density bonus projects (that build affordable housing) to be implemented within the coastal zone of California as they do in every other city in the state. That housing could only be built on lots that the local cities designate for housing like apartments and condos. My proposal also limited this housing to areas where the environment and nature would not be impacted, including near wetlands, areas vulnerable to sea level rise, or close to beaches.

Through the process, and in the spirit of compromise, I offered amendments that reduced the bill's scope by exempting specific areas to ensure more natural resources are not threatened. The changes weren't ideal, but they at least provided clear criteria for those wanting to build housing using density bonus law. Establishing standard criteria provides certainty and assurance that if specific requirements are followed, housing proposals won't endure years of delays, further restricting housing opportunities.

More recent Senate amendments removed the original goal of AB 2560 and go beyond the scope of it by giving more authority over housing to the Coastal Commission, which has proven to not prioritize the building of housing, and requiring cities to update their Local Coastal Programs with language that harmonizes density bonus law and the coastal act. We would fundamentally change the approach that cities plan and build housing.

I accepted the amendments to provide more time to review them and discover a path forward. However, after further research, I have come to the conclusion that a bill with these changes would not make immediate nor significant improvements to the housing crisis.

For everyone who has been working alongside me or supporting from afar, I thank you for all of your work and look forward to partnering with you again. To those who have reached out to offer your support for future initiatives, I welcome you to the growing coalition. The California coast should not be for a select few. We must continue to push until housing opportunities exist for families of all income levels on the coast, just like the rest of California. I am not giving up on this and will continue to fight into the next year, as this is the best opportunity to make a meaningful impact with proven policies to create housing on the coast.”