On Saturday, September 27, 2014, California Governor Jerry Brown signed an extremely important affordable housing bill into law.

Assembly Member Adrian Nazarian

AB 2222, authored by Assembly Member Adrian Nazarian (D-San Fernando Valley), will strengthen the state density bonus law by increasing the affordability requirement of all low and very low income units from 30 years or longer to 55 years or longer. 

AB 2222 will clarifiy state law to expressly prohibit a developer from receiving a density bonus if the proposed housing development or condominium project will result in a net loss of units affordable to persons and families who are low or very low income. 

Protecting Rent Control and Other Affordable Housing

Under current law, a development project that includes the demolition or conversion of rent stabilized or affordable units may qualify for a density bonus even if the new project produces fewer affordable units than previously existed on the site. 

In other words, the law currently grants an incentive to projects that result in a net loss of affordable housing. This is inconsistent with the legislature's declaration that "the development of a sufficient supply of housing to meet the needs of all Californians is a matter of statewide concern." 

AB 2222 will close this loophole and will ensure that density incentives are available only to projects that preserve and contribute to the affordable housing stock, thereby bringing the law back in line with its fundamental purpose.

The Coalition for Economic Survival (CES) had been urging its members, supporters and the general public that supports affordable housing to contact the Governor and to urge him to sign this bill. This effort, together with the effort of other allied groups around the state, no doubt, contributed to convincing the Governor to do the right thing.