Portantino Affordable Housing Bill Passes Senate Floor

For Immediate Release: May 24, 2022

Contact: Lerna Shirinian, (818) 409-0400

Portantino Affordable Housing Bill Passes Senate Floor

Sacramento, CA - Senate Bill 1067, introduced by State Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – La Cañada Flintridge) would restrict parking minimums within close proximity to public transit.  Today, it passed the Senate Floor.  The bill is aimed at reducing California’s dependence on cars, provide more incentives for walking and bicycling, and help counteract housing affordability problems by cutting costs for tenants and developers.

“Last year, I was challenged to provide a sensible path forward toward the relaxation of parking minimums.  I took the challenge seriously and crafted a bill that eliminates parking minimums close to public transit, lessens California’s dependence on cars, should encourage bicycling and walking while increasing our stock of affordable and workforce housing,” stated Senator Portantino.  “While California needs housing across the financial spectrum, it needs to prioritize affordable and workforce housing.   I have committed to collaborate with market rate housing supporters, local governments and civil rights groups in an effort to hit the sweet spot on this important public policy.  With SB 1067, we are working toward that goal.”

Parking minimums require private property owners to provide and maintain a certain number of off-street parking spaces, which impose significant financial, environmental, and social costs to cities.  SB 1067 puts a premium on affordability while prohibiting a city from imposing minimum parking requirement on a housing development project that is located within half a mile of public transit and meet certain criteria. 

Specifically, a project must either dedicate 20% of their units to low-income to moderate income households, the elderly, students or persons with disabilities; or the developer must be able to demonstrate that the development would not have a negative impact on housing needs or existing parking.

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