SB 35 Propels 18,000 New Affordable Residences, With More on the Way
CHC championed SB 35, groundbreaking legislation to streamline the costly and time-consuming process of gaining approval for new affordable housing. UC Berkeley’s Terner Center credited the legislation with accelerating 18,000 new affordable units.
Blue Oak Landing, a partnership between Eden Housing and the City of Vallejo is one new community spurred by SB 35. This $51.9 million Permanent Supportive Housing development provides urgently needed homes for Californians who were formerly homeless. The project was completed on May 25, 2023, delivering 75 urgently needed residences, for people earning 20-40% of the area median income ($17,000-$35,000 for a two-person household).
In 2023, CHC and its members led statewide efforts to extend SB 35 affordable housing streamlining provisions for another decade through SB 423.
"You will hear a lot of noes in your life, but wipe away your tears, dust yourself off and try again. When you have a place to call home, it truly feels like the sky’s the limit."
“My parents were agricultural workers and recently we did lose our home. We became homeless on Feb 1st, which was a huge impact. It was a huge blessing to be called—for me and my child to call this beautiful place now home. For us as single parents sometimes we have to work two jobs, work graves, and we can’t afford the rent—it’s beyond expensive. This made it happen for me, where I can provide for my family.”
AB 1763 Unlocks New Opportunities for Affordable Housing Development to Serve California’s Homeless
Bringing experts from across the affordable housing arena to the table, CHC in 2019 championed AB 1763 to scale up California’s response to the housing crisis and accelerate production of affordable housing for Californians with low-to-moderate incomes. AB 1763 provides 100% affordable housing developments with an enhanced density bonus, making more projects financially feasible.
Tabasa Gardens, a development for Californians with low incomes by Eden Housing in Watsonville, was only made possible through the AB 1763 density bonus expansion. Completed on May 3, 2024, the development provides 53 homes for formerly homeless individuals, serving families earning 25-50% of the area median income ($28,000 to $56,000 for a two-person household). Notably, half of the units are designated for farmworkers to address the critical housing needs of local communities.