Senator Arreguín's Bill to Spur Housing Development Passes Senate

Sacramento, CA - Yesterday, the California State Senate voted 28-4 to pass SB 9 by Senator Jesse Arreguín (D-Berkeley). The bill will ensure that local laws regarding the construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are consistent with state law, and provides a pathway to nullify illegal, local barriers to ADUs. 

“As someone who experienced housing displacement growing up and as a renter myself, I am proud that my first bill addresses this very issue that has impacted far too many Californians”, said Senator Arreguín. “SB 9 will ensure we are building the housing we need in the state to make it easier for Californians to achieve the California Dream.”

Current state law requires local jurisdictions to submit ordinances relating to ADUs to the California Department of Housing & Community Development (HCD) to ensure compliance with state standards on ADUs. While HCD does provide technical assistance to local governments, there is currently little enforcement when a jurisdiction is out of compliance. SB 9 sets clear enforcement mechanisms, nullifying ordinances that do not meet state standards and apply such standards as the default until the ordinance is corrected. 

In recent years, ADUs have been an effective tool in addressing California’s housing shortage. Since 2016, the State Legislature has passed a series of bills to promote the creation of such units, resulting in nearly 84,000 ADUs being permitted between 2016-2022. In 2022, ADUs accounted for approximately 1 out of 5 new units produced in California. 

"California YIMBY has been a strong supporter of Accessory Dwelling Units since our inception, and we are proud to join with Senator Arreguín to make it more practical and affordable to accelerate the construction of these popular types of homes," said Brian Hanlon, CEO of California YIMBY. "Thanks to Sen. Arreguín’s leadership on SB 9, we'll likely see even more ADUs built in our cities and make a meaningful impact in addressing our housing shortage and affordability crisis.”

The bill will now be sent to the Assembly.