Senator Rubio Affordable Housing Solutions Bill Passes Unanimously in Legislature, Heads to Governor Newsom
SACRAMENTO, CA – In a unanimous, bipartisan vote, the California State Assembly passed SB 20 by Senator Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park), a bill that will help local governments address California’s affordable housing shortage and homelessness crisis by establishing a framework for creating regional housing trusts. Recognized as an affordable housing champion in the San Gabriel Valley, Senator Rubio wants to give local governments in other parts of California the same ability to use this innovative approach that has proved so successful in her district.
Senate Bill 20 would provide local communities with clarity and guidance by establishing a framework for regional housing trusts to fund housing to assist low income and unhoused individuals and families. The bill allows regional housing trusts to receive public and private financing and funds, as well as to authorize and issue bonds for the purpose of funding the planning, acquisition, and construction of housing units. The bill also requires all regional housing trusts to maximize transparency and accountability through annual financial reporting and auditing requirements.
“Regional housing trusts are a proven tool for local governments to address California’s serious affordable housing shortage and homelessness crisis,” said Senator Susan Rubio. “Since I authored the legislation to create the San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust, that region has seen 22 cities join together to make meaningful progress in financing affordable housing projects and tiny home bridge housing sites to serve unhoused community members. Senate Bill 20 will provide a framework for communities across California to replicate the success we have achieved in the San Gabriel Valley.”
“We applaud Senator Rubio’s leadership on housing and homelessness issues,” said Claremont Councilmember Jed Leano, Chair of the San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust. “The creation of a regional housing trust enabled San Gabriel Valley cities to leverage existing funding and access new funding to support housing projects from inception through completion that have helped community members struggling with homelessness or at-risk of becoming homeless. We fully support SB 20 because it will enable other cities and local governments to create their own regional housing trusts that address the housing needs in their communities.”
“Regional housing trusts are a vital tool in the toolkit for communities seeking to increase their supply of housing for low-income workers and residents experiencing homelessness,” said Jordan Panama Carbajal, Legislative Advocate for California YIMBY. “California YIMBY is proud to support Senator Rubio’s SB 20, which will scale up a proven framework for the expansion of regional housing trusts across our state – giving more communities the ability to fund and build the housing that our neighbors desperately need. We thank Senator Rubio for authoring this important legislation.”
In 2019, Senator Rubio authored Senate Bill 751 to authorize the creation of the San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust to fund and finance the planning and construction of homeless housing, and extremely low, very low, and low-income housing projects. To date, the San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust has opened three tiny home bridge housing sites for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, helped finance over 690 affordable housing units in seven cities, and established a revolving loan fund to help cities with acquisition and predevelopment expenses for affordable housing development.
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Senator Susan Rubio represents Senate District 22. For more information, visit https://sd22.senate.ca.gov/