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q A -12 Legislative Bill Action ................................ ............................... where a hearing date is set for April 30. Demonstrate your city's commitment to estab- lishing a less process- intensive state review pro- cess and building more affordable housing by visiting the League's Advocacy Center at www.cacities.ora and draft a letter in support of AD 9M prior to the bill's next hearing date on April 30. Staff: Dan Carrigg, Status: AsHou &ComDev, Position: Sponsor. A 1158 (Lowenthal). RHNA Reforms, Hous- ing Element Reviews. Alan Lowenthal, Chair of the Assembly Housing Committee, has introduced A 1158 which includes provisions that reflect many of the regional housing needs assessments (RHNA) reforms that were agreed to in last year's Lowenthal/Wiggins Housing Element Working Group negotiations. The bill also contains some language that requires the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to adopt regulations to guide their reviews of local housing elements. If enacted, A 1158 would address a number of issues local governments have ex- pressed strong concern about by making a number of positive changes to the RHNA process. AB 1158 was approved by the Assembly Local Government Committee by a vote of 9 -0 on April 9. A hearing date for the bill has been set in the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee for April 30. Staff: Dan Carrigg, Status: AsHou &ComDev, Position: Support. AB 1160 (Steinberg). Second Units /Density Bonuses /Housing on School Sites. With the exception of the housing on school sites issue — AB1160 proposes a number of additional measures and state mandates that would further limit the ability of local governments to address zoning, parking, size and other matters that are relevant to the complex issues associated with locating addi- tional housing units on single family lots. AB 1160 imposes numerous restrictions on local second unit ordinances, reduces parking standards up to 50 percent on density bonus projects, and establishes housing as permitted use on all public school sits. The League is concerned that slashing local parking requirements for density bonus housing is a one -size- fits -all approach that will no doubt only increase community opposition to these projects. In addition, zoning all school sites for residential housing from the state level is a proposed policy that will affect many issues beyond local control. Moreover, local governments are still adjusting to the many mandates imposed by last year's AB 1866 (Wriaht), which prohibited public hearings on second unit applications, and created many unre- solved legal issues with its provisions that autho- rized a developer of a density bonus project could demand that the local government waive any ordinance, general plan element, specific plan, charter amendment, or other local law, policy or regulation - or face lawsuits. A 1160 was voted out of the Assembly Local Government Committee 5 -3 on April 9. Assembly members Daucher and La Suer were especially vocal in their opposition to provisions of A 1160 that would further erode local government control over these matters. A hearing date in the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee has been set for April 30. Staff: Dan Carrigg, Status: AsHou &ComDev, Position: Oppose. SB 744 (Dunn). HCD State Housing Ac- countability Committee. SB 744 establishes a Housing Accountability Committee (HAC) at the Department of Housing and Community Develop- ment (HCD), which will include the Director of the Housing and Community Development Department, the Director of the Office of Planning and Re- search, and three members appointed by the Governor with the consent of the Senate. HAC would be empowered with the responsibility for hearing appeals from those housing development applicants who were previously denied approval or granted approval with conditions by a local agency. HAC decisions made would be judicially enforce- able. SB 744 also provides that a city that has met at least 10 percent of its housing need for the very low, low- and moderate -income categories during the preceding year, or 30 percent in each category over the preceding three years, shall receive PAGE 12 /PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the League's Official Web Site --www.cacities.org