Single family home zoning and ownership is under attack by Democrats at every level:
Senate Bill SB9 has passed the State Senate and is now before the State Assembly. If SB9 were approved, it would allow two units within each single-family lot within your city without a hearing or environmental reviews. And with accessory dwelling units and junior dwelling units, or ADUs and JDUs, you could effectively have six families living on each of today’s lots.
San José 2020 Task Force proposes the same, eliminating Single-Family Zoning to allow developers to “by right” (with no community meetings or hearings) demolish and replace a single-family home with a quadplex plus two auxiliary dwelling units (ADUs). “By right” means no community input to a conversion design, changing setbacks/lot-line, or the removal of trees. This proposal will go to the City Council in “September 2021” for authorization to move from concept to detailed planning
Are legislators listening to the people?
Their proposal ignores what people want. 88% of people aged 39-53 prefer buying and living in single-family homes, not in multi-unit dwellings. Public surveys in San José indicate that “housing availability” ranked 8th and the City has plenty of other things to focus on. This proposal needs to go to the people for a vote, not be rubber stamped without voter input.
Their proposal destroys neighborhoods. Even though bureaucrats say the planning commission would only approve de-zoning for homes within ½ mile of transit, the reality is residents won’t be able to protest de-zoning until it’s too late. Much of today’s single family zones are near freeways and transit, and de-zoning will cause massive on-street parking issues, more noise, and greater power/water/sewer/traffic loads – with their attendant, negative effects on the environment.
Ill conceived and deceptive. Businesses and residents are just recovering from COVID lockdowns which showed the need for social distancing. Housing migrations are from city living to suburban living, enabling people to protect themselves and any at-risk family members from cramped living conditions. This proposal takes away choice by making suburbs into cities. It also does nothing to promote equity in home ownership, and, in fact, will convert for-sale units to rental units.
What you can do: Defend Our Neighborhoods!
- No Rezoning without a vote of the people. Write your State Assembly member and demand that they vote NO on SB9.
- Look up your own Assemblymember here: https://eservices.sccgov.org/rov?tab=dt
- or find all members here: https://www.assembly.ca.gov/assemblymembers
- Join with local voices defending single-family homes.
- San Jose residents, sign the petition at: https://www.wgna.net/save_single_family_houses
- All Californians, check out this petition: https://tinyurl.com/sb9no
- Los Altos residents, join with others to speak up against SB9 at your next City Council meeting. Or email the Council by Monday 6/21 at PublicComment@losaltosca.gov
