FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – Governor Jerry Brown signs a package of 15 bills on Friday to tackle the state’s affordable housing crisis.
The bills add billions of dollars for new, affordable housing, more inclusive, mixed-income communities and shelter for the growing number of homeless.
“We want to achieve safety, aesthetics and the right kind of neighborhoods, got a lot of rules and now we gotta figure out a way to streamline and we are doing that with these bills.” – Governor Jerry Brown.
While Governor Brown’s goal is to increase the state’s housing supply and affordability, he acknowledges a contradiction; “I know none of you want to cut the value of people’s homes they struggled to buy, so we’re not talking about lowering the prices in one sense, although we are. So there it is – plenty of paradox.” – Governor Jerry Brown.
The bills include policies to speed up stalled construction and reduce costs by streamlining decision-making and the environmental review process.
Click below to listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern:
