California Construction News staff writer
On a visit to San Francisco last week, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a package of housing bills expected to make it easier to build housing not just in San Francisco, but across the state.
“These bills will make a real difference, including in the bill we sponsored to get more housing built downtown. Let’s say yes to new homes, yes to construction jobs, and yes to a more affordable city,” said Mayor London Breed.
Newsom also announced the release of new program guidance for up to $2.2 billion in funding through Proposition 1 to build permanent supportive housing for veterans and other individuals with mental health and/or substance use disorder challenges who are at risk for or experiencing homelessness.
The program, known as Homekey+, will extend the successful Homekey model by emphasizing the acquisition and rehabilitation of existing buildings or other project types that can be quickly converted or constructed into permanent affordable housing. Applications will open in November and funding will be continuously distributed beginning in May 2025.
Detailed information can be found HERE.
“No more excuses. California is taking action to fix the decades-long homelessness, housing, and mental health crises,” Newsom said. “These new laws — paired with the state’s unprecedented resources — will deliver more housing, get people off the streets, and provide life-changing support that will benefit all Californians.”
What these new laws do:
- Mandate that locals plan for housing for extremely vulnerable residents, including people experiencing homelessness and other acutely and extremely low-income individuals.
- Increase accountability for local governments by creating stricter timelines and more robust requirements for local governments to report on housing progress and provide clear notice to the public.
- Strengthen enforcement and penalties by imposing monetary penalties on cities and counties that fail to adopt housing element revisions or approve housing developments and ensuring effective consequences for those who fail to comply with state housing law.
- Streamline housing production by reducing regulatory barriers, promoting housing near transit, and providing incentives for senior housing, student housing, and accessory dwelling units.
What the Prop 1 funding for new HomeKey+ housing does
- Creates more than 4,000 new permanent housing units, paired with services, for people with mental health and housing challenges
- Dedicates housing for veterans with half of the units reserved for veterans with behavioral health needs
- Builds new housing faster by leveraging the proven HomeKey conversion model
