Homeless and Affordable Housing Streamlining Bill Passes its First Committee

(Sacramento, CA) – Following passage on Monday of AB 785 through the Assembly Natural Resources committee sponsored by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, bill author Assembly Member Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) released the following statement:

“Homelessness here in Los Angeles is an urgent emergency and we must fire at all cylinders to bring more affordable and supportive housing online,” said Assembly Member Santiago.

“Expediting affordable housing, supportive housing, transitional housing and emergency shelters in Los Angeles will reduce the number of people becoming homeless. We need to remove all barriers and speed up all our efforts to put a roof over every head in Los Angeles.”

On the heels of Mayor Bass’ State of the City, where she highlighted solving homelessness as a key priority, AB 785 enjoyed bipartisan support as it passed its first policy committee. AB 785 responds to the homeless crisis in Los Angeles by exempting, until 2035, from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) any activity approved by the City of Los Angeles in the city, and the County of Los Angeles in the unincorporated areas of the county, in furtherance of providing affordable housing, emergency shelters, supportive housing, or transitional housing. Mayor Bass is a sponsor of AB 785 and supporters of the bill include homeless advocates such as the Downtown Women’s Center.

AB 785 will be heard next in the Housing and Community Development Committee.

Assembly Member Miguel Santiago is the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization. He also sits on the Assembly Committees on Public Safety, Health, HigherEducation and Utilities and Energy. He represents the 54th District composed of the cities of Los Angeles, Commerce, Montebello, and Vernon.

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