As the affordable housing issue spreads, California’s enforcement kicks could signal an increasingly fierce battle between cities and the state over housing. It also provides clues as to how Mr. Newsom defends himself against the political attacks surrounding it. (Newsome’s run for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination is something of a political game right now, and despite the chatter, the governor and everyone in his camp dissolution such ambitions. )
In an interview, housing adviser Elliott said the advantage the governor has in implementing tougher housing policies is that he’s getting votes statewide, not local. Administrations can play a key role in local conflicts without worrying about alienating the entire voting base.
“It is very logical politically for individual city councilors or individual members of the oversight board to oppose individual projects,” he said. I think it’s about making ‘yes’ the default instead of ‘no’.”
There are already some signs that years of state housing legislation, combined with growing voter dissatisfaction, are beginning to make such changes. Mayor London Breed welcomed: Tweet.
“When I ran for office in 2018, being the impeccable housing candidate was vulnerable,” said Buffy, the Oakland Democrat who wrote one of the two major housing bills that passed Congress this week. Wicks said. “Now it’s absolutely an asset. I stand on the floor of Congress and say 10 times a week, ‘We have to build more housing in our communities. We need low income, middle income, we need market rates… ‘Four years ago we couldn’t do that in a comfortable way.’
The city seems to have absorbed the new reality of a more watchful nation. After state legislatures passed duplex laws last year, dozens of cities responded by adopting a slew of new ordinances that don’t explicitly ban units, but through a series of small rules, actually I tried to dissuade them from building units.