Bill introduced to fast track housing when California cities fall short of goals

By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) — Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener — along with advocates for high density affordable housing for low- and middleincome communities — has announced a new bill to ensure the construction of mixedincome housing developments.

“It only makes sense to do more of what works,” Sen. Wiener said Monday as he spoke about the bill.

Senate Bill 423 proposes to permanently extend the provisions of SB 35, which fast tracked infill housing in cities that failed to meet their housing goals as set out in their housing elements.

Using a process called ministerial approval, SB 35 eliminated the need for lengthy environmental impact studies for compliance with California Environmental Quality Act and removed discretionary permits. The bill, passed in 2017 and also introduced by Sen. Wiener, bypassed control of locally elected officials requiring local governments to approve projects if a city failed to build enough affordable housing as mandated by the state. The San Francisco Planning Department reported that approvals for housing development have been reduced to four months from as much as three years since AB 35 went into effect.

Several cities in California require a local vote by residents to approve new developments in the cities where they live. If, however, the city does not keep pace with housing needs, SB 35 could take effect.

In San Francisco, about 3,000 housing units have been built by developers who invoked the law when San Francisco fell short of meeting housing targets.

“You know SB 35 and other streamlined laws, the purpose is, the way the housing system is set up in California, that even if someone comes forward, whether a nonprofit builder or a for profit builder, and says, ‘I want to build a building that is exactly — complies with your rules — I just want to follow all your rules and build (it in a way to) comply with all your rules,’ in California, what we say is that’s not good enough,”

Sen. Wiener explained at the news conference. “Even though you’re following every single rule, you still have to go through this discretionary process where your project could be killed or cut in half or delayed for years, even though you’re complying with all the rules. All this bill says is that you have to, if someone follows all the rules that have been set out, they get their permit.”

The director of public policy for the Inner City Law Center, Hahdi Manji, emphasizing his support for the bill, stated, “There are 150,000 homeless people in California, 50,000 in L.A. County alone, 1.2 million rent burdened households throughout the state of California, 500,000 in L.A. County.”

SB 423 is supported by the carpenters union, who prebuilt modules that were later erected at the site. The bill includes requirements to pay appropriate wages, provide health care benefits, protect construction workers and employ apprentices.

Sen.Wiener tweeted “SB 35 expires at the end of 2025. This new legislation removes that expiration date. In addition to various technical changes to improve the bill’s application, it also makes changes to ensure it accelerates both below market rate & mixed income housing creation.” According to the senator it has streamlined 12,000 homes statewide with approximately 3,000 homes in San Francisco alone. About 75% of them are below market rate.

The California Housing Consortium, the California Conference of Carpenters, Inner City Law Center, Local Initiative Support Corp. (San Diego) and California YIMBY, co-sponsors of the bill joined

Sen. Wiener at the news conference to announce the bill.

“SB 35 has led to the development of thousands of subsidized affordable homes across California – along with good jobs for construction workers,” said Brian Hanlon, CEO of California YIMBY. “By expanding its provisions to create stronger incentives for mixed-income housing, we’ll give builders the certainty they need to ramp up construction of housing for all Californians, while creating a pathway to grow our state’s pool of skilled homebuilders.”

California Yimby, in a released statement noted SB 423 allows permit streamlining for both 100% subsidized affordable housing, and mixedincome housing that sets aside units for lower-income residents. In the five years since SB 35 went into effect, its streamlined process has led to the streamlined approval of over 11,000 new homes, most of them subsidized homes affordable to low-income households.”

“California needs all of its best tools to meet our aggressive & essential housing goals. We must not let one of our most effective streamlining laws lapse as we work to build 2.5 million new homes over the next 8 years,” Sen. Wiener tweeted.

The city of Santa Barbara plans to give De

Plaza the De La Guerra Revitalization Project, which would replace the plaza’s lawn with a hardscape and add a bubbler water fountain for children and cooling trees. Plans call for preventing vehicles from going into the plaza, with deliveries possibly being allowed at certain times on State Street.

Plaza

Continued from Page A1 elements of the plaza,” she said.

“We don’t want to turn it into a playground.”

She also praised the fact that members of the Historic Landmarks Commission have participated, as opposed to waiting until the project design is finished before presenting it to that body for review. The HLC is the governing body for this project.

“It’s been a really collaborative process,” Councilmember Sneddon said. “The engagement on this has been impressive.”

Perhaps the biggest change to the plaza is that it would be closed to traffic in favor of creating a public, pedestrian space, with a bubbler fountain for children to play in, a stage for small performances and casual seating.

A proposed structure adjacent to the city parking lot between the plaza and City Hall has been the focus of much discussion, Mr. Hess said.

Restrooms in the public space would be fitted with disinfectant jets that would spray all surfaces down frequently, although that won’t completely eliminate the need for janitorial services.

And an Art Subcommittee has been formed to solicit and select artists to create public art to be implemented into the project.

“It’s a very talented and diverse group,” Mr. Hess said.

Public art will be included in three areas of the project, the

Central Chumash area, small mosaic medallions scattered throughout the project area, and in the family seating area, he said.

Both Mayor Randy Rowse and Councilmember Eric Friedman voiced some reservations about closing the plaza to traffic, questioning how businesses fronting De La Guerra and State Street would be able receive deliveries.

Mr. Hess said provisions would be made for vehicle loading and unloading in nearby spots and possibly on State Street before 9 or 10 a.m.

He stressed that it was the unanimous opinion of the Advisory Committee that the redesigned plaza would be strictly a pedestrian-only space.

In response to other concerns, Mr. Hess said the bubbler fountain could be turned off when desired to create a more usable space, especially for community events.

The most important thing, Mayor Rowse said, is that the plaza remain as flexible, open and programmable as possible.

Mr. Hess said the project’s designers are very close to submitting their plans, with final approval expected in the fall and construction to begin about a year from now.

“It’s been a steady march forward these past four years,” he said. “But in spite of the time taken to get here, there’s more work ahead of us than behind us.” email: nhartsteinnewspress@ gmail.com

LAFOND, Suzanne Charlotte

June 25, 1931 - February 07, 2023 n 1997, Suzanne was selected The World s reatest ranny by the Washington State ranny Smith Apple rowers Association; and in 2003 she was named an Athena Award recipient by ashville Cable, the city s leading networking organization for women in business and community service. Overarching all of these accomplishments - and many more besides - was one devotion which governed Suzanne s life since childhood: her Catholic Faith. Among the most important religious things, she wrote in her 2013 memoir Peach Cobbler Stories, is the virtue of Charity. First toward od, but also toward one s self and one s neighbor. t is a lifelong practice we must never give up.

Suzanne Charlotte Lafond, who has died aged 91, was a trailblazer from a family of trailblazers. She accomplished much in her long life and bequeaths to her descendants and her many friends both her exceptional example and her gift of inspiration.

A native of Montréal, Québec, Canada, Suzanne, born June 25, 1931, was une Canadienne francaise to her core. Her rst forebear to reach orth America, from the Saumurois, France, was married in Montréal in 1618; and together with her brother Pierre, Suzanne and he were the rst in their family to learn nglish uently and the rst to emigrate to the nited States.

This Suzanne did in 1954, after she had married ashville native ermit C. Stengel, Jr. at otre Dame des eiges in her hometown. Together they raised three sons who survive her: Marc . Stengel Terry ; Christian S. Stengel Charlotte ; and ric L. Stengel Christine . She is survived as well by seven granddaughters: Mary Bentley Donald Clay ; Morgan Stengel; Sara Stengel; oe Stengel; aia Stengel; August Stengel; and Marie Stengel; by two great-granddaughters, Lily Bentley and Cameron Bentley; and by three nieces and a nephew in California, Lise L. Dienhard ary ; David Lafond im ; Michelle Lafond Brian O Connor ; and Denise Lafond.

After 27 years of marriage, Suzanne divorced in 1981. Whereas her joy until that time had been her devotion to raising a family that had by now own from the nest, in her mid- fties she embarked upon a second life of sorts - one full of personal achievement and adventure. Although her entrepreneurial initiation took place in 1969 with her founding in ashville of an athletic and leisure clothing line Tennis Fashions by Suzanne, her blossoming in the 1980s included careers as a radio DJ in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles; production assistant to Julia Child for the T series Dinner at Julia s ; French-language interpreter and organizing committee member for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles; voice, lm and video actor in numerous radio and television commercials, documentaries and corporate productions; and founder and director from 1998 to 2008 of the ashville Chapter of Dress for Success, a not-for-pro t entity through which she provided free job counseling and appropriate business attire for women seeking to take that rst step onto the career ladder.

Suzanne died peacefully on February 7, 2023, from complications related to a series of falls and progressive dementia. She was preceded in death by her father, Léonard Rodolphe Lafond and her mother, Léa Moquin Lafond; her brother, Pierre Lafond; and her erstwhile husband ermit C. Stengel, Jr. A

Lottie and Howard Marcus were among the first investors in Berkshire Hathaway and built a fortune. After their death, a half billion dollars of their money went to Ben-Gurion University in Israel.

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Mr. Mishory noted drip irrigation, which was invented in Israel, uses less water than the flood irrigation widely used in the U.S. “Israel is leading desalination technology,” Mr. Mishory said. He predicted improvements in technology will continue. “Waste water is going to be turned into drinkable water in our lifetime.”

Mr. Mishory said Ellen Marcus convinced her parents, who made their fortune as one of the first investors in Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, to give their money to a good cause upon their death instead of to her. In 2016, the half-billion dollars went to Ben Gurion University.

“Her parents were Holocaust escapees who came to the United States, initially to New York, then San Diego,” Mr. Mishory said.

“They were introduced to Warren Buffett.”

Known for his own philanthropy, Mr. Buffett is interviewed in the documentary.

“I’m told by some journalists that it might be the most extensive interview Mr. Buffett has ever done,” Mr. Mishory said.

Others interviewed for the documentary include Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog.

The documentary meant a lot to Mr. Mishory. “My grandparents (Yehuda and Rivka Mishory) were around for the founding of Israel and lived through those waterscarce years. I had a personal connection with the story.” He said the next five or six film festivals are booked for “Who Are the Marcuses?” After that, he said, the film will go on a streaming service, but which one hasn’t been decided. email: dmason@newspress.com

DIAZ, Sally

June 19,1929 - February 5, 2023

Devoted mother, grandmother, friend, and Our Lady of Sorrows Parish worker, Sally Diaz, graciously passed away in Santa Barbara, CA on February 5th 2023. She was dedicated to helping others and truly displayed the fruit of kindness and generosity.

During her time serving the parish, Sally Diaz also served as a foster mother to youth in need of homes. Her smile was a ray of light. Sally shared 40 years of Marriage with Charlie Diaz and was the proud mother of Anthony Diaz, Joseph Diaz, and Marylou Diaz. She is survived by her two children, Joeseph and Marylou Diaz, her grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

A celebration of her life will be held at Welch-Ryce Haider Funeral home, with a viewing scheduled for Thursday, February 16th, from 2-5PM and a Rosary at 7:00PM. The funeral service mass will be at Our Lady of Sorrows Church on Friday, February 17th, at 10:00AM.

By MARILYNMCMAHON

‘Classic Car Sundays” kicked off Jan. 29 and will be held the last Sunday of every month through 2023 at Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyards, the family-owned