A San Jose City Council committee rejected a motion to join other cities in opposing Senate Bill 9, which permits lot subdivision in an effort to boost housing affordability.
San Jose will not be joining the group of Southern California cities suing the state in an effort to stop Senate Bill 9, “which allows homeowners of single-family lots to divide their properties for development of two to four homes in an effort to increase the state’s housing stock,” and which many local leaders have called an unconstitutional attempt to preempt local control in zoning matters. As Jana Kadah reports in San Jose Spotlight, the city’s Rules and Open Government Committee failed to promote the motion by Councilmember Dev Davis, which called on the city to join a lawsuit brought by several other cities.
According to Davis, the “broad-brush, statewide zoning measure” would in fact prevent the city “from reaching its housing and development goals outlined in the 2040 Envision San Jose plan.” Other councilmembers disagreed, saying the bill may not have a meaningful effect on the city. “Since SB 9 went into effect on Jan. 1, San Jose has only seen one SB 9 application, and that application has been either withdrawn or is not completed,” according to City Councilmember David Cohen. Accordingly, “We don’t have enough information to know whether this will have any effect on the city and I do not think it’s time to be having a discussion about the effect.” Other councilmembers said they were not interested in participating in a lawsuit at this time.
FULL STORY: San Jose is not jumping aboard the SB 9 lawsuit train
The City of Broken Sidewalks
Can Los Angeles fix 4,000 miles of broken sidewalks before the city hosts the 2028 Olympic Games?
Shifts in Shopping: Transforming Malls Into Parks
Maybe zombie malls still have a second life — one with a little greenery.
To Build More Housing, Cities Must Be Smarter in How They Use Land
How strategic land use policy decisions can alleviate the housing crisis and limit unsustainable sprawl.
Omaha Streetcar Yielding $1.5 Billion in TIF Funds
The line, scheduled for completion in 2027, is bringing billions in new investment to the city’s urban core.
NYC’s Proposed Zoning Reforms Lag Behind Other Cities
Cities like Austin and Minneapolis are making major changes to their zoning codes to encourage housing construction, but New York’s proposed reforms are far less ambitious.
Why Traffic Never Gets Better
Despite abundant research showing that roadway expansions provide limited congestion relief and increase long-term traffic problems, they still occur due to wishful thinking: advocates claim that “this” project is different.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Prescott
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
Village of Glen Ellyn
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
CORP - COnsulting Research Projects
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport
Rockdale County Board of Commissioners