This week in affordable housing news, City Lab details the geographic patterns across the nation where renters and homeowners spend the most on housing costs. The map shows that nationally urban areas are the hardest hit, but the report also notes that stress on urban areas leads to strain on rural areas too and that severe housing burden is linked to public health issues, poverty, and food insecurity. KQED spoke with San Jose mayor Sam Liccardo, who has prioritized affordable housing in his most recent budget proposal. Mayor Liccardo said that suburban voters, who often already own their homes, may be swayed to welcome more affordable housing development, “’When they recognize that their children have nowhere to live.’” Finally, the GimmeShelter podcast discuss rising interest around Accessory Dwelling Units, often called in-law units or granny flats, and support for this type of home to help people who need an affordable place to live.

STATE HOUSING POLICIES

Controversial State Bill Pushing Construction of Taller, Denser Housing Moves Forward in Legislature
KQED
A bill to compel California cities to allow more construction of higher density housing near transit hubs and job centers cleared its first legislative hurdle on Tuesday. Senate Bill 50 would override local zoning rules and give developers the green light to build four- or five-story apartment buildings near bus, rail, and ferry stops in an attempt to spur housing construction. The bill’s higher density rules would also apply in “jobs-rich” areas, a designation yet to be fully defined in the legislation.

Are in-law units the secret solution to the state’s housing shortage?
CALmatters
California lawmakers have pitched dozens of bold, high-profile solutions to California’s affordable housing shortage: billion dollar affordable-housing bonds, revamping the state’s signature environmental protection law, suing NIMBY-inclined cities into permitting more development. But for all the big-picture housing legislation that has actually become law over the past few years, the solution that’s proved most immediately effective at providing new housing has been rather small in size: Accessory Dwelling Units, colloquially known as in-law units or granny flats.

New bill would require California colleges to let homeless students park overnight
Mercury News
For many college students, academics are an afterthought. And it’s not because they’re bent on partying or other socializing. It’s all about survival. According to several recent surveys, around one in five — or about 400,000 — California community college students has experienced homelessness in the last year. Thousands more are at risk of becoming homeless. Calling that number “shocking, alarming and tragic,” Assemblyman Marc Berman, D-Palo Alto, on Tuesday outlined a new bill — AB 302 — that would force community colleges to allow homeless students to sleep inside their vehicles in campus parking lots overnight.

HOUSING CRISIS

The Neighborhoods Where Housing Costs Devour Budgets
City Lab
Paying rent or a mortgage is never easy. But in thousands of neighborhoods across the country, it’s a burden of epidemic proportions. More than 10 percent of U.S. households spend at least half their total income on housing costs—far more than the one-third that financial experts advise as a maximum limit. These severely housing-burdened households can be rich or poor, but around half of them are located in neighborhoods where at least one neighbor in three is facing a similar housing burden, according to a CityLab analysis of U.S. Census data obtained from the National Historical Geographic Information System.

San Jose: Petri Dish of an American Housing Crisis
City Lab
For the second time running, Zillow crowned San Jose, California, with an auspicious title this year: It’s the hottest housing market in the country. When Zillow released stats ranking the median income of buyers and renters in cities around the country, San Jose topped the list again. Look around, though, and few are celebrating. In one apartment, Shavell Crawford lives with her fiancé and four roommates.

LOCAL HOUSING INITIATIVES

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo on Housing and Suburban Resistance to Building More of It
KQED
This week, the Public Policy Institute of California released a poll showing that housing affordability is a top concern for a record-high percentage of Californians: Two-thirds statewide and 80 percent in the Bay Area. So why is it so hard to get new housing built? There are few local politicians more bullish about housing than San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo. Housing is one of the top priorities in his latest budget proposal, which builds on his previously-stated goal of building 10,000 new housing units by 2022, some of it affordable.

Fresno Mayor Brand calls registry of good and bad rental property owners ‘the gold standard’
Fresno Bee
In under one year, Fresno’s new Rental Housing Registry has reached 85,000 units registered, making it easier for city officials and inspectors to identify good and bad property owners. The registry was launched in January 2018, and later that year, the city began mailing notices to property owners alerting them to sign up. Failure to register results in late fees ranging from $100 to $1,000. Property owners also could register voluntarily before receiving a notice. The city has an estimated 93,000 rental units.

FEDERAL HOUSING POLICIES

More money to fight homelessness could come California’s way under this bipartisan plan
Sacramento Bee
Congress is considering giving a $750 million bump in help to comprehensive programs to help the homeless, with agreement from both Democrats and Republicans that it’s an innovative approach to a persistent issue. The bill, introduced last week by California Democrats Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Ted Lieu, would give the grant money to localities, such as local governments and nonprofits, who could then dole the money out to programs that provided housing, mental health services, substance abuse services, case managers and more to the homeless.