LA’s Palisades — A Controversial California Affordable Housing Bill

The Los Angeles wildfires last December destroyed over 40,000 properties in Palisades and Eaton. Rebuilding has started. Also started is a bill in the California Senate to put affordable housing in spaces of previous owners that will be purchased by the government.

The taxpayer funded homes — if this bill passes the Senate, the Assembly and is signed by the governor — will be plunked into an area where Realtor.com says the average home sells for $4.9 million.

The bill wants to create Resilient Rebuilding Authorities to use taxes to buy lots in Pacific Palisades and put homes up for those with incomes within 30% to 60% of the state’s median income.

And if that isn’t deal breaking enough, this might be. The bill will build permanent supportive housing for the homeless.

Plus, it’s noted that Governor Gavin Newsom has thrown $101 million for the construction of more low income housing to "accelerate the development of affordable multifamily rental housing so that those rebuilding their lives after this tragedy have access to a safe, affordable place to come home to."

Residents of the area are screaming “land grab.” Pacific Palisades Residents’ Association president, Jessica Rodgers sent a letter to senators signed by over 2,300 residents of the area.

“[Lawmakers are] asking for a land grab," Rogers said. "This is a rebuild, this is not a politicians get to decide a pet project on what they’re going to decide in the Palisades. This is residents of this community get to decide what happens in our rebuild phase, period.”

The bottom-line is her association’s members want things where they were before the devastating fires.

"We had some low-income housing, and we had affordable housing," Rogers explained. "We want what we had on January 7 [the day of the Palisades Fire]. Nothing more, nothing less."

California Sen. Ben Allen — who sponsored the bill — said he got the message and put the bill on hold until 2026.

"I appreciate the input of the folks who have weighed in about the bill, and along with legislative colleagues have decided that it would be best for us to pause the bill until next year to give us more time to see if we can get it right," Allen said. "For me to feel comfortable proceeding, the bill will have to be deeply grounded in community input, empowerment, and decision-making, including the support of the impacted councilmembers."

Source link: MoneyWise — https://bit.ly/3VH3IAN