Land Use

AB 453 (Mullin) – Request for Comment
As Amended on July 3, 2013

AB 453, by Assembly Member Kevin Mullin, would now, in addition to making LAFCOs eligible for Sustainable Communities Planning Grants and Incentives Program funding, additionally require LAFCOs, when considering a change in organization or reorganization, to consider the effect development in the area is likely to have on meeting the region’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets established by the California Air Resources Board within the existing factor to consider the regional transportation plan. 

The measure is currently on the Senate Appropriations Suspense File awaiting a hearing. 

SB 510 (Jackson) – Support
As Amended on April 30, 2013

SB 510, by Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, would clarify existing law governing the conversion of mobile home parks from rental to resident owned. Specifically, the measure would require local agencies to consider the results of surveys of mobile home park residents when deciding to approve, conditionally approve, or disprove a subdivision. Further, it gives counties and cities the authority to disprove a subdivision if at least a majority of the park’s residents do not support the conversion indicated through the survey. 

Mobile homes are an important source of affordable housing in California – with approximately 5,000 parks statewide. Many local jurisdictions impose rent controls to ensure mobile homes remain affordable to those on fixed-incomes, such as seniors and working families. The state is still facing a shortage of decent housing affordable to low-income Californians and this measure would provide that mobile home residents have a voice in conversion proposals as well as clarifying the powers of local agencies in the subdivision process. 

SB 510 was passed out of the Assembly Local Government Committee, with amendments that are not yet in print, on August 14 by a vote of 7 to 0. The measure now awaits a vote by the entire Assembly. 

SB 684 (Hill) – Support
As Amended on May 15, 2013

SB 684, by Senator Jerry Hill, would authorize the extension, preservation and retention of existing redevelopment signs with approval of the county or city. The bill does not authorize new signage nor are the existing signs under this proposal billboards. 

This measure is necessary in light of the elimination of redevelopment agencies and the unintended consequence that existing sign agreements cannot be extended because there is no longer a redevelopment agency to authorize the extension. Before the elimination of redevelopment agencies, these signs were exempt from the Outdoor Advertising Act. Signage agreements needed authorization from the redevelopment agency and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). SB 684 simply clarifies that existing redevelopment signs can be extended with approval of a county or city, in place of the redevelopment agency, and Caltrans. 

SB 684 was passed out of the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee on August 12 by a unanimous vote. The measure now awaits a hearing before the Assembly Appropriations Committee. 

Indian Gaming

AB 1042 (Hall) – Support
As Amended on August 12, 2013

AB 1042, by Assembly Member Isadore Hall, would appropriate $13 million in FY 2013-14 from the Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund (SDF) for the purpose of local community mitigation grants to help off-set the impacts on infrastructure and public services from tribal gaming.
While the grants offered via the SDF program do not mitigate all of the affects Indian gaming has on California’s local communities, the funding is still very critical to local jurisdictions affected by gaming. Counties experience a myriad of costly impacts on local infrastructure and services ranging from transportation to wastewater to public safety. 

AB 1042 is set for hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee on August 19.