Senate Leader Atkins’ California HOME Act Passes Senate

May 26, 2021

SACRAMENTO – Today, the California State Senate passed Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins’ SB 9, the California Housing Opportunity and More Efficiency (HOME) Act, legislation that streamlines the process for a homeowner to create a duplex or subdivide an existing property. The bill, which passed the Senate on a bipartisan 28-6 vote, would enable homeowners to create intergenerational wealth and widen access to more rental and home ownership opportunities for working families.

“This bill is about helping neighbors become part of the solution to address our state’s housing crisis and making our communities more inclusive to all,” said Pro Tem Atkins (D-San Diego). “I grew up in substandard rentals because my parents could never afford a home of their own – despite working themselves to the bone their whole lives. In 2021, too many California families share that story. With SB 9, we’d have a chance to change that narrative and give working families more options, and more opportunities. For homeowners, the opportunity to create additional income or provide an aging parent a safe place to live near family. For renters, the opportunity to live in a neighborhood they couldn’t afford before or save up to buy a home of their own. This bill would open the door for more families to pursue the California Dream, and I’m appreciative to my colleagues for seeing it’s value and passing it today.”

SB 9 is the product of a multi-year effort to develop solutions to address California’s housing crisis, and is a key piece of the Senate’s housing package, ‘Building Opportunities for All,’ which establishes opportunities to make progressive and positive changes in our communities that will result in neighborhoods that are more equitable, inclusive, and include more naturally-affordable options. The housing package is the culmination of work by members of the Senate Housing Lead Group, including Senators Anna M. Caballero (D-Salinas), Dave Cortese (D-San Jose), María Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles), Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach), Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg), Richard Roth (D-Riverside), Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park), and Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), who have been committed to finding solutions to address the state’s housing crisis.

SB 9 builds upon the successful approach of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and expands options for homeowners, while also respecting local control and zoning requirements, preserving historic neighborhoods, and establishing a maximum of no more than four units on what is currently a single-family parcel. SB 9 benefits homeowners, prevents profiteers from evicting or displacing tenants, and prohibits the development of small subdivisions and ministerial lot splits on adjacent parcels by the same individual in order to prevent investor speculation.

The bill — which passed the Senate Appropriations Committee on a 5-2 vote, passed the Senate Governance and Finance Committee on a 5-0 vote, and passed the Senate Housing Committee on a 7-2 vote — now heads to the Assembly.

More information on the bill can be found here.

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Toni G. Atkins is President pro Tempore of the California Senate. Having previously served as Speaker of the California Assembly, she began her tenure in the Senate in 2016. As Senator for District 39, she represents the cities of San Diego, Coronado, Del Mar and Solana Beach. Website of President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins: www.senate.ca.gov/Atkins

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