Oppose Legislation Mandating Housing Density Without Funding Mechanisms

“The State of California has enacted a series of housing-related bills aimed at increasing residential density in cities and municipalities statewide, including SB 9, SB 10, and others.  While the stated intent of these bills is to address the statewide housing crisis, implementation of these measures often places significant burdens on local government without providing the necessary infrastructure, services, or fiscal support.  These mandates frequently override local planning authority, diminish the ability of cities to tailor land use to their unique needs and capacities, and strain existing infrastructure and funding resources.

“_______ NC/CC, a member of the Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (WRAC), therefore:

“1) requests that our elected state officials take steps to initiate a pause on all enacted legislation that provides for statewide housing density and/or streamlining mandates, unless and until clear funding mechanisms are identified and enacted to accompany the legislation, in order to support the resulting impact on infrastructure, public safety, and municipal services; and

“2) opposes any pending and future legislation that proposes statewide housing density and/or streamlining mandates, unless clear funding mechanisms are identified to accompany any such bills, in order to support the resulting impact on infrastructure, public safety, and municipal services.

“The imposition of increased density — without accompanying state funding or resource allocation — exacerbates existing challenges, particularly in areas vulnerable to wildfire, evacuation constraints, and other environmental or geographic hazards, such as the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, Flood Zones or other environmentally sensitive locations as determined by local governments throughout the state.”