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6. A *4- HOUSIM; from page 1 .............................................. Governor Sets The Stage The govemor touched on both housing and infrastructure in his State of the State address on Wednesday, January 5, stating: "W1en I first came to California, the roads fascinated me. Californians can't get from place to place on little fairy wings. This is a car~ntered state. We need roads. Uke Governor Pat Brown before me, I intend to see that the government builds the roads that Califomians need. "We need roads and we need affordable hous- ing. The medan price of a home in California is $460,000. That is too much. A home of your own is part of the American Dream. I believe in such dreams, so I will f)fD/XJse leaislation that eliminates requlatorv and leqal hurdles that delay construction and increase the costs of new housina. "I want a California where people spend less time sitting on the tieeway and more time in the homes that they own. I believe we can meet our transportation, our housing and our business needs and still improve the environment." A written statement issued by the Governor's Office the same day provided more detail, stating: "The state's lack of housing supply has created inefficient land uses and has forced housing devel- opment further from jobs and population centers. Govemor Schwarzeneaaer will Drooose leaislation that eliminates reaulatorv and leaal hurdles that delay construction and increase the costs of new . housina. "He will call on local iurisdictions to recoanize and plan for their own natural DOPulation increase and workforce issues, making the most efficient land use patterns possible while minimizing impacts on valuable habitat and productive farmland." The governor's transportation proposals men- tion reform of the suspension provisions in Prop 42, the need for better coordination of job generation with housing production and traffic mitigation, and the need to address the congestion that results from disconnected policy and planning. Senator Perata Sets His Sights On Local Land Use Powers Senate President Pro Tempore Don Perala (D- Oak/and) indicated this week he is interested in a debate about stripping local governments of some of their land use powers in an effort to ease sprawl, reduce traffic congestion and moderate housing prices. In today's Oak/and Tribune, Senator Perata is quoted as blaming local poitics for the gridlock and, lack of housing opportunity in California. (See "Ex- cerpts from Oak/and Tribune article, "Perata wants more state control. Lawmaker proposes taking some zoning power from cities., 1f7/05 page 8.) League Housing and Transportation Activities The League has been working with the administra- tion, homebuilders and other alRes to develop a package of initiatives that will help expand housing supplies and investment in infrastructure. A joint League-homebuilders task force has been working over the last year to identify potential reforms to the state's land use laws that could provide builders with more predictability in the housing development pro- cess, increase the supply of available land, and reduce time-consuming battles at the project approval stage. The task force is chaired by San Diego Council Member Jim Madaffer, who is also past chair of the League's Revenue and Tax Policy Committee and the FIscal Reform Task Force. The housing task force will meet again this month to further review proposals that may th.en be forwarded to the League's HCED Policy Committee and League board of directors for consid- eration. As the proposals are under consideration, the League membership will be briefed on their contents. The League is also working with others to actively support reform of the suspension provisions in Prop 42 that allow the legislature to easily divert gasoline sales ta.x doll~rs to the general fund. It is additionally working with legISlators, the administration, and others to support legislation that will increase the resources available for infrastructure investment. Finally, the League will watch the governor's budget release next Monday for any indication that Continued on Page 8 PAGE 4/PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the League's Official Web Siteuwww.cacities.org