Legislation to Provide More Housing for Homeless Clears Senate Committee
SB 7 would require cities and counties to provide homeless-serving housing, SB 482 would help finance special needs developments
SACRAMENTO – Two pieces of legislation by Sen. Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas, aimed at reducing homelessness were approved by the Senate Housing Committee on Tuesday.
SB 7 would mandate that cities and counties provide housing for their homeless populations, as part of their zoning plans to meet projected housing needs for their jurisdictions. Despite all the programs and assistance provided to the homeless, there is currently no mandate or requirement for cities and counties to house them. SB 7 would change that.
“Every community must do its fair share to tackle the homeless problem, and that’s what SB 7 is all about,” Blakespear said. “If we want to eliminate encampments in public spaces, cities and counties must be required to provide homeless housing.”
The Department of Housing and Community Development, in consultation with regional Council of Governments and the Department of Finance, periodically determines each region’s housing needs based on its current and projected residents’ household incomes. The Council of Governments then divides housing needs estimates among their local governments, which then must adopt housing elements to meet those need estimates.
Presently, however, those Regional Housing Needs Allocation plans do not include addressing the homeless. SB 7 adds providing housing for the homeless as a new required category of the plan.
SB 482 would require the state to provide a funding mechanism that would encourage the development of special needs housing units that serve unhoused individuals with little or no income and the greatest needs.
SB 482 requires HCD to offer capitalized operating subsidy reserves (COSRs) to special needs units funded through the Multifamily Housing Program. COSRs are important because if granted, they set aside upfront money to cover 15-20 years’ worth of deficits in annual operating revenues for housing developments, making it easier for the developments to get financed and built.
Special needs units are crucial in helping people who are homeless address personal health or substance abuse problems or get other help they need. These units often offer case management, medical and mental health care, substance abuse treatment and employment services, among other resources. This is an essential element in helping the most vulnerable Californians transition out of homelessness.
The Senate Housing Committee passed SB 7 on an 8-1 vote and SB 482 on a 10-0 vote. SB 7 goes next to the Governance and Finance Committee, and SB 482 moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee for consideration.
Elected in November, Blakespear represents Senate District 38, which covers northern coastal San Diego County and part of Orange County. To learn more about the district and Blakespear, visit her Senate website.
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