House Committee Readies for Action in 2017

On the heels of passing statewide legislation we sponsored (SB 1069) to expand housing by easing restrictions on in-law units, the Bay Area Council’s Housing Committee met this week (Oct. 20) to begin strategizing for next year. Under the leadership of Co-Chairs Denise Pinkston of TMG Partners and Kofi Bonner of FivePoint, the Committee welcomed state Housing and Community Development (HCD) Director Ben Metcalf for a discussion on the need for both regulatory reform and cost reduction strategies to enable housing production. Metcalf thanked the Council for leading a statewide advocacy effort in support of Gov. Jerry Brown’s “right to build” housing proposal and its leadership on in-law units. In the next few weeks, HCD will be releasing its Statewide Housing Plan, the first update in 15 years. The Housing Plan will echo much of the White House’s recent call for regulatory reform to bring down the cost of housing and highlight the need for infill housing as a climate change strategy. To engage in the Council’s housing work, contact Senior Vice President Matt Regan.