July 26, 2017

Housing Action Day was a major success with all three pro-housing policies passing with either unanimous or significant support. Thanks to your participation in our campaign to contact a Councilmember, together we were able to show City leaders how important these policies are to the greater business community.

To recap, those policies are:

• Streamlining of the permitting process for additional dwelling units, aka “granny flats.” These units represent an opportunity to house extended family members, students and those with less extensive space needs at a lower cost than a traditional home. Removing some of the regulatory barriers to these units and seeking lower fees will assist those looking to add a unit to their existing property.
• Deterring frivolous CEQA appeals for projects, which will add certainty for developers while preserving the opportunity for concerned community groups to participate in the appeals process where appropriate.
• Refining the Affordable/Sustainable Expedite program, by expanding which projects are eligible for expedited permitting. By allowing more projects to qualify, units can come to market faster and provide housing relief.

The Chamber would like to highlight the leadership of Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Councilman Scott Sherman, as well as their staffs who worked diligently with various stakeholders to identify policies that increased units, without increasing the cost of building.

Your role in addressing the housing crisis is important, and we appreciate your help. Housing Action Day was a key first step in solving our housing needs and we look forward to additional policy successes in the future.