AgdaPkt 2002-02-11 - Laserfiche WebLink

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HOUSZNG ELEMENT DZSCUSS] ONS ON MAY 'I'Z ELI NE LEGISLAtiVE HEHO RA SES STAKES A recent memo, jointly authored by AssembLy there appears to be a fair chance for a target agree- Members ALan Lowentha[, Patricia Wiggins and ment. Senator Joe Dunn, establishes a May deadEne for the LegisLative housing element working group to In this effort to put together a Larger reform address the various issues identified in the fa[[. In package, Local governments are doing the heavy brief, those issues are: Lifting. Local governments believe many significant issues with the existing process need to be ad- 1. State development of regional housing need dressed; the trick is to craft a package of reforms numbers, that can aLso work for the department and key 2. AlLocating regional housing needs to Local stakeholder groups. A danger in this process is that governments, other interest groups may adopt the tactic of picking 3. The housing element review process by the apart our proposals, then Later claiming that no state, consensus was reached. CLearLy, the LegisLators' 4. Housing element implementation, memo, with a May deadline, was intended to raise 5. Housing element enforcement, the stakes for the prayers at the table. It is unclear 6. Incentives for Local governments to build what Lowenthat, Wiggins, and Dunn wit[ propose or housing, agree to if the talks break down. The memo states, "We prefer that legislation What City Offlda[s Can Do. Keep talking with coming out oJ: this working group be the product oJ: your LegisLators about housing issues in your cam- consensus. However, we want to make it clear that ii: munity. Give them specific examples of what works the working group is unable to reach consensus or and what does not work in your city. Educate them continues to be delayed, the three qf us will work on about other planning tradeoffs you have to make at our own to move legislation this year." the Local Level (i.e., Local growth initiatives, preserv- ing farmland and open space, dealing with inad- Progress of Discussions, Over the next month it equate infrastructure, and what your constituents, wilt become clear how much progress is being made and theirs, are teLLing you what they want in your in the working group. When discussing housing city). Make sure that they are aware of specific elements, the first issue that must be addressed is issues you have with the existing housing element the state process for developing the overaLL regional process. housing needs number. Once the number is estab- Lished, the second issue is to improve the process for The stakes have been raised in Sacramento, so atLocating the regionaL housing needs to individual it's time to al. so raise the stakes back home. If your cities and counties, city wants reforms, you must ask your LegisLators to advocate for them in the LegisLature. Other key The flow of the discussions has been one of Local messages to use with LegisLators: government advocates raising issues and making proposals, with the other stakehoLders reacting. · Advocate for a comprehensive reform biLL There seems to be a consensus on the concept of that makes the housing element process establishing a clearer process for developing the more realistic, and provides some actual regional housing needs, and distributing them to incentives and toots to help Local govern- Local government, but the differences wilt emerge as ments build housing in their communities. actual draft Language is discussed. There is a Long · Don't vote for any LegisLation that is focused way to go, but people are stiLL working hard because on penalties, such as SB glO. PAGE 4/PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the League's Offidat Web Stte--www. cadttes.org