Gordo Leads Mayors From Nearby Communities in Opposing Senate Housing Bill

Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo and the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments penned a letter to Assemblyman and former Pasadena City Councilman Chris Holden and other members of the Assembly expressing opposition to a state Senate bill that some say would end single-family residential zoning.

Authored by Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco, SB 9 would allow up to eight units on what is now a single-family lot. A lot as small as 2,400 feet could be split into two units.

Developers would not be required to pay for any infrastructure improvements to those lots as well.

“We, the undersigned representatives of cities in the San Gabriel Valley, write in firm opposition to Senate Bill 9 which would end single-family residential zoning in every community in  California,” the letter states.

“SB 9 would result in a quadrupling of the allowable density in long-established residential neighborhoods, driving real-estate speculators to purchase homes in order to split parcels, build duplexes on each lot, and secure rental income streams — at the expense of the quality of life of our residents. We urge your ‘no’ vote on SB 9.”

The letter is signed by Gordo and the mayors of La Cañada Flintridge, South Pasadena, San Marino, San Gabriel, Monrovia, South El Monte, Temple City, Azusa, Diamond Bar, Montebello, San Dimas, Claremont, Industry, Laverne, and Pomona.

According to the letter, SB 9 would require cities and counties, without public hearings or discretionary conditions, to approve a duplex containing two full-sized residential units on an individual lot in single-family zones.

Cities would also be forced to automatically approve lot splits of individual parcels, creating two independent lots that could be sold separately, and result in up to four units being built where one home now stands.

SB 9 would effectively abolish backyards by allowing rear setbacks of no more than four feet, depriving children of a safe place to play and residential neighborhoods of green space, privacy, light, and fresh air. Increased residential density could result in unplanned and unsustainable impacts on local public safety, schools, parks, traffic, parking, sewers, drinking water, energy grids, and other vital neighborhood services and infrastructure.

The letter also reiterates the commitment of the cities to being part of the solution to the state’s housing shortage.

“By forcing greater density on single-family neighborhoods without any accompanying state funding to support affordable housing, SB  9 is the wrong remedy for our housing shortage.

“SB 9 will undermine local input, flexibility and decisionmaking and has fostered strong community opposition that could imperil the deliberate and essential consensus-building needed for affordable housing developments to be welcomed in communities,” the letter states.