Policy Alone Isn’t Solving the Housing Crisis
A recent analysis by the pro-development nonprofit YIMBY Law reveals that several California housing laws enacted since 2021 have had "limited to no impact" on increasing the state's housing supply. The report evaluated five key laws aimed at reducing regulatory barriers and promoting denser residential developments, including:
Senate Bill 9 (2021): Intended to end single-family zoning by allowing homeowners to split their properties into duplexes. However, in 2023, only 140 units were permitted under this law.
Assembly Bill 2011 (2022): Designed to facilitate the conversion of commercial spaces like office parks and strip malls into apartment buildings. Yet, by 2024, only eight projects had received local approval under this legislation.
Senate Bill 4 (2024): Known as the "Yes In God's Backyard" law, it permits religious institutions and some schools to develop affordable housing on their properties. To date, no projects have utilized this provision.
Sonja Trauss, executive director of YIMBY Law, attributes the ineffectiveness of these laws to legislative compromises that introduced unworkable requirements and loopholes. She notes that during the legislative process, various stakeholders seek concessions, which can ultimately derail the original intent of the laws.
“We shouldn’t just keep passing more and more bills just because we can. We should actually look at what is working, why it’s working, how we can do more of what’s working and if it’s not working, we should do more to fix it or change it.”
An apartment complex under construction in Temecula on Oct. 11, 2024
Credit: Kristian Carreon for CalMatters