SB 1227: Density bonuses.

Existing law, known as the Density Bonus Law, requires a city or county to provide a developer that proposes a housing development within the jurisdictional boundaries of that city or county with a density bonus and other incentives or concessions for the production of lower income housing units, or for the donation of land within the development, if the developer agrees to construct a specified percentage of units for very low income, low-income, or moderate-income households or qualifying residents and meets other requirements.

This bill would additionally require a density bonus to be provided to a developer that agrees to construct a housing development in which all units in the development will be used for students enrolled full-time at an institution of higher education accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges or the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges and the developer enters into an agreement with an institution of higher education to that effect, where 20% of the units are used for lower income students, as defined, provided at a specified rent level, and the development provides priority for the applicable affordable units for lower income students experiencing homelessness. The bill would require that these units be subject to a recorded affordability restriction of 55 years. The bill would set the density bonus at 35% of the number of these units. By increasing the duties of local agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The bill would include findings that the changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.

This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 65915 of the Government Code proposed by AB 2753 and AB 2797 to be operative only if this bill and either or both AB 2753 and AB 2797 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.