Senate Standing Committee on Housing

Welcome, Senator Wiener, you may present your bill.

Okay. And, Madam Vice Chair, this is Senate Bill four.

Yes, I'm sorry. Yes, we'll be reviewing SB four by Senator Wiener.

Thank you very much, Madam Vice Chair. Colleagues, Senate Bill four will allow religious institutions and nonprofit colleges to utilize their excess land to create 100% affordable housing. It will address the zoning and also the approval so that we can quickly deliver these new affordable homes. We have done a lot of work in recent years to try to address California's severe housing shortage. We are short millions of homes, and we know that probably somewhere around half of that shortage is our homes that are below market rate, which is what this bill addresses. We know that our churches, synagogues, mosques, other religious institutions, as well as nonprofit colleges have a lot of land, and often they have way more land than they need, whether it's a church or synagogue that has a parking lot that's three times as big as what their congregation needs or simply have land that they're not using. And we know that they often want to build housing to promote their mission to provide housing for people. However, due to zoning restrictions and approval limitations there, sometimes it's either difficult or often impossible for them to do so. We know that from an analysis a few years ago from the Turner center, which is being updated as we speak, looking at only the largest counties in California. So not even all the counties, a small subset of the counties, they identified, I believe, 38,000 acres of potential land for affordable housing. If you take the whole state and you add in the nonprofit colleges, it's a lot more. This will be a game changer for the construction of 100% affordable housing, opening up tens of thousands of acres of land that will be effectively prioritizing the builders, particularly the nonprofit builders, but the builders that build 100% affordable housing, they won't have to compete with the market rate developers, which is often a barrier in terms of accessing land. This bill is, I first introduced this bill in 2020, and it passed the Senate, 39 to nothing. I was very proud of that broad bipartisan support for this Bill among members, because we know there are members in both parties who have a lot of different opinions on housing. It really was a unifying Bill. We did a lot of work in this Committee and also in the governance and Finance Committee that year on the Bill to try to really respect the local context in terms of neighborhood issues. And we've honored all of those agreements from 2020. We have a massive coalition behind this bill of affordable housing, advocates, faith based organizations, and advocates, labor unions, business organizations. I'm very proud of this broad coalition, and I respectfully ask for your aye vote. With me today to testify, and I know we'll probably establish quorum in a moment, but with me today to testify is Abram Diaz, the Director of policy of the nonprofit Housing Association of Northern California, and Rabbi Alfie from Congregation Bennett Israel in Sacramento. So, Madam Chair, I assume we'll want to establish quorum.

As a matter of fact, yes. Senator, we are currently able to assess.

I think your microphone might be off.

We do have enough members now to be able to establish a quorum, so we're going to go ahead and move forward on that.

[roll call]

Thank you very much, Madam Secretary. We will now move on to lead witnesses in support.

And perhaps, madam vice chair, if we could adopt the rules just to get it out. Without objection here.

So we'd like to first adopt the Committee rules for 2023 and 2024 legislative session. Without objection. Oh, I'm sorry. Is there any objection adopting the rules? Seeing none, Madam Chair. Okay. Without objection. They are currently adopted. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Vice Chair. And now to our witnesses.

Thank you. Chair and Committee members, please testify in support of Senate Bill four on behalf of the nonprofit Housing Association of Northern California. My name is Abram Diaz and I'm the policy Director for MPH. At MPH, we represent around 750 affordable housing builders, advocates, and community leaders working to support the creation and preservation of affordable homes across California. As we all know, the shortage of housing has created a desperate crisis for our state and California's families. Last year, the California Department of Housing and Community Development released a report enumerating our challenge. We need to build at least 1 million affordable units over the next eight to 10 years. As large property holders, faith based institutions and private colleges are in an important position to help us meet this need. And as previously stated, there are tens of thousands of acres that are possible for us to use to build affordable housing, many in very high opportunity areas. These organizations, as long standing community anchors, wish to lead in addressing our housing and homeless crisis. Our faith partners see this as an extension of not only their mission, but also their moral calling. The problem we're trying to solve is that while many of these institutions are ready to build and support affordable housing, their current zoning prevents it. For our partners, it can take a year at the minimum and more typically several years to allow these projects to move forward. That kind of delay can cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars on these units and discourages and prevents us from building homes for low income families and working families. This bill would ensure that we apply reasonable streamlining principles so that our religious communities can open their doors to Californians in need. We balance this approach by including strong labor requirements and worker protections as well. As you can see in the analysis, the bill has support from about 180 groups from all across the state, including labor equity, housing groups, faith groups, all from Muslim, Jewish, and Christian communities as well. We all collectively urge your support, and I'm happy to help answer questions as needed. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair and Committee Members, and thank you, Senator Wiener, for authoring this important legislation. And thank you to Jake Pet Kepak and all of the co sponsors of this Bill for championing this effort on behalf of California communities of faith. My name is Rabbi Mona Alfie. I'm the senior rabbi at Congregation B'nai Israel here in Sacramento, Sacramento's largest synagogue and the oldest synagogue in the State of California. The most repeated commandment in the Torah is love your neighbor as yourself if for you were slaves in the land of Egypt. Cities across California are facing a housing and homelessness crisis, and we're seeing our neighbors live in the streets in astounding numbers. Driven by our Jewish values and our own history of oppression, countless synagogues are eager to address our homelessness crisis and support our neighbors that are most in need. And we know that our friends in the Muslim, Christian and other faith communities share these same important values. Faith communities are some of the state's leading organizers of volunteer and charity efforts to help our neighbors experiencing homelessness. But food donation drives, temporary shelter options and similar campaigns are largely band aid solutions. Just yesterday, the Sacramento Bee reported a third death this winter due to inclement weather for people who are homeless. The Jewish sage Maimonides has a famous teaching about the ladder of giving charity, where the highest rung, the most impactful way you can give, is to help someone succeed themselves. In fact, this lesson is sometimes credited as inspiration for the proverb about teaching a man to fish. Our communities desperately want to create permanent solutions for those experiencing poverty, hunger, housing, insecurity and homelessness, and we are ready equipped for it. Synagogues and other faith institutions own large properties all over the states, many in communities where affordable housing is desperately needed and many with land to spare. But we need to pass this bill to remove the red tape and prohibitive processes that make it hard to build affordable housing. For some faith institutions, this opportunity could even be their lifeline, providing revenue that can stabilize their organization's finances. This bill is a creative solution to address the critical issue of our time, and it gives communities of faith the important opportunity to form a real mitzvah, a kind and loving deed for our neighbors. Thank you for your consideration.

Thank you very much. Now we will now move on to lead witnesses in support here in room 1200. Do we have any witnesses in support of SB four here in room 1200? Here they come.

Madam Chair and Member Sylvia Solis Shaw, here on behalf of the City of Santa Monica, in strong support. Thank you.

Good afternoon, Madam Chair and Members Karen Lange, on behalf of the city and County of San Francisco, in support.

Good afternoon. My name is Cynthia Castillo. I'm a policy advocate for Western Center on Law and Poverty. We have a support, if amended, position and look forward to conversations to ensure that the projects aren't located on toxic land. Thank you.

Brian Sapp, on behalf of Lighthouse Public affairs and our clients, SPRU and Habitat For Humanity in support.

On behalf of inner city Law Center, Skid Row nonprofit pro bono law firm, we are excited to sponsor and support this Bill.

Susan Rodriguez, proud Member of Carpenter's Local 152. I reside in Stockton, California, San Joaquin county, and I stand as support with my brothers and sisters today for SB 4, we need housing now.

Good afternoon. I'm the Reverend Dr. Mary Graves, Presbyterian Pastor from Redwood City. And because I know of an increasing number of churches that have both the property and the passion to provide affordable housing, I'm here to support SB 4.

Good afternoon. My name is Kyle Swarms. I'm a resident of Sacramento, a member of Local 46, and I'm here in favor of SB four. Thank you.

My name is Reverend Dr. Penny Nixon from the County of San Mateo, co Director of the Peninsula Solidarity Cohort, and right now I'm working with five churches who desperately desire to build affordable housing on their land.

My name is Reverend Dr. Marlon Bussey. I pastor in San Mateo, California, and I am the co Director of the Peninsula Solidarity Cohort. My church is one of the ones that is actively trying to build affordable housing in San Mateo. I urge your support for SB four. Thank you.

Hey, my name is Raul Maldonado. I am currently an East Bay YIMBY lead volunteer. I'm originally based in Oakland. I'm originally based in Modesta, California, Central Valley, currently in Oakland. Right now, I'm here in support on behalf of East Bay YIMBY and also myself for SB four. Thank you.

Good afternoon. My name is Dr. Tovis Page. I'm a unitarian universalist minister in San Mateo, and I'm also with the Peninsula Solidarity Cohort to be here to show my support.

My name is Krista Hansen. I am a Member of Peninsula Solidarity cohort and of the congregational church with San Mateo, and we very, very much want this bill to pass.

Good afternoon. Louis Marante with Bay Area Council. We represent about 330 of the Bay Area's larger employers and think housing is the number one issue for our region to solve. We're here in strong support of SB four today. Thank you.

My name is Deacon Lauren McCombs. I am a deacon in the Episcopal Church. I'm a Member of PeninsuLA Solidarity cohort and also faith in Action Bay Area. It's time to support housing in our area. I support SB four. Thank you for your time.

Madam Chair. Scott Governar, behalf of the Construction Employers Association in support.

Madam Chair, my name is Pastor Curtis Smith. I'm the pastor of Destiny Christian center in Stockton, California, and also the Director for Faith in the Valley. And I'm here in strong support of SB four.

Good afternoon, Madam Chair and Committee Members. My name is Maria Coronado with Southwest Mountain States Carpenters, proud member of local 323 and we support SB four. Thank you.

Good afternoon. My name is Alex Regala. I'm a policy manager at MidPen Housing affordable housing developer. We stand in strong support of SB four.

Good afternoon. Manley McNich with the Southwest Regional Mountain States Regional Council of Carpenters and Member of local 805. We are here in strong support of SB four. Thank you.

Good afternoon. My name is Anthony Ventura. I'm a representative with the Southwest Mountain States Regional Council of Carpenters, representing Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo county. We strongly support SB four. Thank you.

Madam Chair, Members of the Committee, Jordan Panana Carbajal, on behalf of California YIMBY, in strong support.

Hello, my name is Sam Moss. I'm the Executive Director of Mission Housing Development Corporation in San Francisco in affordable housing provider. I'm here today on behalf of Mission Mercy Housing, Tenderloin Housing Clinic and the John Stewart Company, as well as BRIDGE Housing, and we are here in strong support of SB 4. Thank you.

Hi, I'm Laura Foote, Executive Director of Yimbi Action, and on behalf of our 3000 members across California, in strong support.

I'm Lisa Moss, and I'm a member of San Francisco YIMBY, and I am very strong support of SB four.

Good afternoon. Chair and Members, Jordan Grimes, on behalf of environmental nonprofit Green Belt Alliance, here in strong support of SB four. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Arturo Rodriguez, Carpenters Local 2236 out of Oakland, and I'm in strong support of SB four. Thank you.

Good afternoon, everybody. My name is John Belperio. On behalf of Norcal Carpenters Union, in strong support.

Ron Roulette, Solana County resident, Carpenters Local 180, Norcal carpenters in strong support.

Hi, my name is Ira Kaplan. I'm a Member of San Francisco YIMBY. I'm here in strong support of SB four. Thank you.

Hello, everyone. Matthew Miller, Norcal Carpenters. I'm a Member of Carpenter or Drywall Lathers Local 9068 in Livermore, in strong support, and we need housing in the peninsula, badly.

Afternoon, everyone. Zach Bowling, volunteer lead with East Bay YIMBY here in strong support for SB four. Thank you.

Good afternoon. Ali Zaperman, on behalf of the Housing Action Coalition, in enthusiastic support, but I'm also here because I've been housing insecure my entire life and we need solutions now. Thank you.

Good afternoon, my name is Ralph Asannfeld. I'm with YIMBY Action, and I'm here on behalf of chapters and partners. East Bay YIMBY, Grow the Richmond Mountain View YIMBY, Napa Solano for everyone, Northern Neighbors Peninsula for everyone, Progress No Way Valley, San Francisco YIMBY, Santa Cruz YIMBY, Santa Rosa YIMBY, Slow Co YIMBY, South Bay YIMBY, Southside Ford Urban environment mentalists and People for Housing Orange County. Thank you.

Ryan O'Connell, Napa resident and here on behalf of how to ADU and the 20,000 homeowners in our community in strong support of SB four.

Hi. Susan Sanderhome, San Francisco YIMBY member. I live in support of housing and I'm grateful and I want more people to have the same opportunities.

Hello. Alex Melendrez. I work at YIMBY Action. I'm also a member of Peninsula for Everyone in strong support of SB four.

Hi, I'm Justine Marcus with enterprise Community Partners. We're a national affordable housing nonprofit, and on behalf of our San Francisco, LA and Stockton offices, we're here in strong support. Thank you. Good afternoon. Gracia CaSio Krings, here on behalf of.

Good afternoon. Gracia Castillo-Krings, here on behalf of All Home and SB Silicon Valley Action fan.

Afternoon, Pastor Day, Victory and Praise Church and organizer with Faith in the Valley in strong support of SB four. We need housing now.

Good afternoon. My name is Courtney Powell. I'm with resources for community development. We're a nonprofit housing developer in support of SB four.

Good afternoon. Cassie Mancini, on behalf of the California School Employees Association, in strong support.

Afternoon, Madam Chair. Edward Evans, Carpenters Local 217. Norcal Carpenters, in strong support of SB four.

Buenas tardes, mi nombre es Javier Santiso, sor representante Reunion de Carpinteros, El Condava, San Diego. Estoy aquí en total respaldo de SB 4 porque va a traer un pedazo de legislatura que va a dar proteccion a los trabajadores que viven extorsionados y que se les roba su sueldo. Es tiempo que hamos lo corrcecto para protejer a los hombres y mujeres. Gracias.

Good afternoon, Madam Chair and committee. Doug Hicks, Southwest Mountain States Regional Council of Carpenters, representing local 619, San Diego and Imperial counties. Strong support for SB four. Thank you.

Cliff Berg here on behalf of JPAC, the Jewish Public Affairs Committee, representing every major Jewish organization in California from San Diego through Northern California. Pleased to be a co sponsor of SB four. Good afternoon.

Good afternoon. Dan McKellar, Carpenters Local 751, based out of Sonoma County, in strong support SB four.

Madam Chair, my name is Sean McCarthy. I'm field representative for Carpenters Local 22 in San Francisco. NorCal Carpenters Union in favor. Thank you.

Good afternoon. My name is Martinez Espinoza, proud Member of the Carpenters union, in strong support for SB four.

Good afternoon, my name is Antonio Munoz out of NorCal Carpenters Local 713 out of Hayward, in strong support of SB four.

Marina Wyatt, with the California Housing Consortium in support.

Rebecca Marcus, on behalf of Leading Age California, in support.

Good afternoon. Jason Martinez from the Carpenters Local 701 out of Fresno. I'm also a proud military veteran in support.

Good afternoon. Travis Alexander, Norcal Carpenters Union and Fresno county, resident here in strong support of SB four.

Onasis Mcfarland, Carpenters Local 180 in Solano County in strong support of SB 4. Thanks.

I'm Melody Hal Weintraub. I'm here representing Temple Isaiah in Contra Costa County and Hope Solutions, which is a home provider in Contra Costa. In support of SB four.

Hi, Jan Warren with the MultiFaith Action Coalition shelter and housing task force in Contra Costa County in strong support of SB four.

Hello. Scott Littlehale, resident of Richmond, California, proud member of Norcal Carpenter's Local Union 152 in Contra Costa County. Strong support of SB four.

I'm Douglas Leach. I'm a member of the Multifaith Action Coalition and would like to also on behalf of the Social Justice alliance of the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County. Register both organizations. Strong support of SB four.

Good afternoon, my name is Jesse Parlies, proud member of the Norcal Carpenters Union and President of 713, representing Alameda County, and we are in strong support of SB four. Thank you.

Good afternoon. Eddie Luna, Local 713. I support SB four.

Good afternoon. Daniel Greg, member at Norcal Carpenters Union Local 2236 in Oakland. Strong support of SB four. Thank you.

Good afternoon. Dan Calamuci, Carpenters Local 22 in San Francisco, here in strong support of SB four.

Good afternoon. My name is Juan Espinoza. I'm a proud member of NorCal Carpenters Union Local 217 in San Mateo county, and I'm here in support of SB port. Thank you.

Todd David, on behalf of Abundance San Francisco, standing with our partners in the Carpenters union in strong support.

Good afternoon, my name is Doug Chesshire. I'm a proud member of Carpenters Local 605 in Monterey County, here in strong support of SB four.

Good afternoon, my name is Laura Drocic. I'm a proud member of the Norcal Carpenters Local 405, San Jose, California, and I'm in strong support of SB four.

My name is Ed Gable. I am a resident of Pleasanton, which is a little town in Alameda County, and I'm a union rep with the Carpenters, and I'm in support for this Bill. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Francisco Martinez. I'm a Napa County resident, and I'm a field rep with Norcal Carpenters Local 2236 and I'm in support of SB 4.

Mi nombre es Mirsa Lopez, Carpintera Local 9109, gracias.

Mary Ellen Shay, California Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies, in strong support of SB four.

Good afternoon. My name is Luke Vrat, and I'm a proud member of the NorCal Carpenters Union in support of SB four. Thank you.

Hi, I'm Taryn Sandulyak, co founder of Firm Foundation Community Housing in support. Thanks.

Hi, I'm Brian Leahy. I'm part of AARP's response team and our 3.2 million members. We're strong support of SB four.

Mark Stivers with the California Housing Partnership and strong support.

Madam Chair Members, good afternoon. James Thorwachter with the California State Council of Laborers, proud to be in support.

Tony Buoy with the California Apartment Association in strong support. Thanks.

April Atkins, proud member of Local 22, San Francisco. Strong support. Thank you for allowing me to speak.

Good afternoon. Jay Bradshaw, Executive officer, Norcal Carpenters Union. On behalf of our over 36,000 hardworking men and women out in the field and 22 local unions, we strongly support SB four. Thank you.

Kenneth Doe from 9144 in San Jose. I strongly support SB four.

Good afternoon. My name is Juan Barbosa, and I'm representing Local 505 in Santa Cruz, California. I'm in strong support of SB four.

Lonzo Quintana, travel ladders, Livermore, California. I support SB four.

Sean Reese, from Local 1599, Redding, California. I strongly support SB four.

My name is Chris Martinez, local 1599, Redding, California, and I strongly support.

My name is Jerry Centopia, from Local 46, Sacramento, and I strongly support SB four.

My name is Giovanni Adelini, I'm a 25 year member of Lathers Local 68L out of Oakland. I support common sense legislation like SB four.

Jaime Vasquez, out of San Jose, local 405, carpenters, and support the SB four.

9144 out of San Jose, California. I truly support SB four.

Alberto Lustre, Local 9144. I support SB four.

Carlos Valdez, NorCal Carpenters union, Local 46. I'm a resident of Sacramento. I strongly support SB four.

My name is Aaron Hadzas, Local 22, carpenters. I support SB four.

Anthony Levice, Local 2236 in strong support of SB four.

Hello. Matt La Jay, on behalf of SEIU, California, in support.

Good afternoon. Brooke Ward, chapter Director of community organizing. Eddie Carr, a Jewish faith community in Los Angeles, also a member of LA Voice, and we support with amendments. Thanks.

Reverend Zachary Hoover, Executive Director of La Voice, speaking on behalf of our 60 Member congregations, also part of PICO, California. We have a dozen congregations interested in doing this, but face zoning challenges, and we support, with amends.

Eric Carmona, Director of campaigns for PICO, California. We also support with amends.

Ryan Shields, NorCal Carpenters Union we strongly support SB four.

Perfect. Thank you. Do we have any other witnesses in support?

Thank you.

I'll take that as in support. Yes. Thank you very much, sir. We'll now move on to lead witnesses in opposition here in 1200. Room 1200. We have any witnesses in opposition. Please proceed. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Good afternoon, Madam Vice Chair and members, Beverly Yu on behalf of state Building and Construction Trades Council of California, representing half a million members statewide with an opposed, unless amended position on SB four. Specifically, we urge the Committee to include a skilled and trained workforce requirement for residential construction under the bill instead of the AB 2011 standard from last year. The current language is legally problematic, has not even gone to effect yet, and allows developers to utilize an unenforceable healthcare requirement that's likely preempted under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security act of 1974. The fatal preemption problem is highlighted in the text of the bill and in its severability clause provisions. The bill also includes a superficial apprenticeship requirement that's really nothing more than just a paperwork exercise. With any streamlining bill, worker protection training standards must include both prevailing wage coverage and skilled and trained workforce requirements. Skilled and trained provisions require a percentage of workers on the project be graduates of a state approved apprenticeship programs. Without this requirement, the bill creates two tiers of labor standards that result in residential workers having fewer protections than those in other sectors of construction. Requiring the use of skilled and trained workers on the job site is how the state can best capture the productivity benefits of prevailing wage. This ensures that workplace safety and ultimately the health and safety of people living in these homes. State approved union apprenticeship programs are the state's critical pipeline to these essential jobs and the building trades union members here stick with the construction long term, increasing their lifetime earnings and fueling healthy economies. Despite our move to information technology economy, the world still needs to be physically built. We strongly support getting affordable housing built, but is short sighted to miss an opportunity to invest in and promote a strong pipeline for a highly skilled and trained workforce that will be critical to meeting the housing production needed today and in the future. Opponents of skilled and trained provisions are conflating the total number of housing units needed to be built to the small number of housing projects shovel ready today to fabricate a worker shortage. I want to reiterate there is no worker shortage here in California. Instead of focusing on labor standards for a small segment of industry, we believe labor standards should be expanded to a much broader segment of the affordable housing industry. We urge you to vote no or commit to withholding your vote on the floor and working with us to ensure these important amendments are included before the bill passes off the floor. Thank you very much.

Jennifer Speck on behalf of the California Association of Realtors, we have an opposed, unless amended, position currently. We're very optimistic that in the end, we'll be able to resolve our concerns with the author, primarily among a variety of technical amendments that we are working on with the Senator. We're concerned about the term ancillary uses within a single family neighborhood. The broad use of ancillary could result in something like a dry cleaner or some kind of service shop located that could provide a beneficial use to the community that the project is built in. What we're looking to do is simply clarify that the commercial uses within the residential single family neighborhood would only include childcare facilities and community centers as defined by HUD. Thank you.

Madam Chair Member Scott Wetch on behalf of the more than 200,000 members of the State Association of Electrical Workers, the California State Pipe Trades Council, the Western States Council of Sheet Metal Workers, the California Coalition of Utility Employees, and the Elevator Constructors Union, you can support housing without stripping worker protections that are in law today in collective bargaining. We call that a takeback. This bill is a takeback and it should be voted down. Thank you.

Good afternoon, my name is Mark Mulliner. I work for the state building trades, and we are in opposition and less amended. Thank you.

Okay, let me just clarify that right now. We're moving on to opposition witnesses here in room 1200.

Mitchell Bechtel with the District Council of Iron Workers were opposed unless amended. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Lolly Castillo. I'm with the IBEW local 11 of Los Angeles representing almost 12,000 members, and. We oppose SB four.

Afternoon. My name is Ernesto Medrano, representing the Los Angeles and Orange County's building and construction Trades council, representing over 140,000 hardworking men and women in the construction sector, 48 affiliates and I urge no support for Senate Bill four unless it has true apprenticeship standards and true labor standards. Thank you.

Raymond Davis, President of Iron Workers Local 118 here in Sacramento. I stand with the building trades and oppose this Bill unless amended.

My name is Ken Miller, business agent, organizer for Iron Workers Local 378, and I stand in solidarity with the state building trades to oppose unless amended. Thank you.

Good afternoon. Troy Arnson with the Iron Workers Local 118 out of Sacramento and I also stand with the state building trades and oppose unless amended. Thank you.

Good afternoon. My name is Matt Goody. I'm the business manager for local union 228 plumbers and pipe fitters out of Marysville, California. And I stand with the California State pipe trades and the building trades and opposed unless amended.

Perfect. Do we have any other witnesses in opposition to SB four here in room 1200, seeing none. Thank you. There is one more, okay.

My apologies for my tardiness. I am John Hershey with Plumbers and Pipefitters, Local 447 in Sacramento County. And I'm here opposed unless amended. Thank you.

Any other witnesses in opposition to SB 4, here in room 1200? All right, we'll now move on to witnesses waiting to testify of the teleconference service. We'll be limiting the phone testimony to 20 minutes for all bills during this hearing. Moderator, if you would, please prompt the individuals waiting to testify in support or opposition, and we will begin.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you are in support or opposition of SB 4, please press one, then zero on your phone. You will receive a line number and be placed back in queue. If you have a speaker phone, please pick up the handset before pressing the numbers. And once again, that's support or opposition of SB 4, one then zero. We will go with line number 122. Your line is open, 122.

Gerald Cox with Road Sprinkler Fitters, Local 669. And we stand with the State Building Trades in opposition unless amended.

Thank you. Line number 132. 132, your line is open.

Yes, can you hear me?

Yes, we can hear you. Go ahead.

Yes, this is Mary Kate Blue, creative brand. I'm here representing Skid Row Action Plan Ad Hoc Skid Row Advisory Committee, with strong support of SB 4 of service providers to the Board of Supervisors. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, we will go to line number 135. Please go ahead. Okay, 135. You pushed yourself out. Go ahead.

Can you hear me? But I was calling regarding SB 423. So do I speak to 423? I know this is SB 4.

No, ma'am. Right now we're only taking testimony in support or in opposition for SB 4.

Okay, I go back in queue for SB 423. Okay, thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Next, we will go to line number. Let's see here. We will go to line number 172. Please go ahead.

Hello, this is Kevan Insko with the Friends Committee on Legislation of California in support of SB 4. Thank you.

Next, we will go to line number 180.

This is Linda Warner with the California Catholic Conference of Bishops. And I apologize, our support letter got misdirected within the portal. So you don't have us listed on the analysis, but we are in very strong support of SB 4. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 187.

Good afternoon, Chair Members. This is Zeke Sandoval with PATH, one of California's largest and most impactful nonprofit homeless service providers, in full support of SB 4. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 174. 174?

And I'm in strong support of SB 4. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 167.

Good afternoon, Senators. This is Cornelius Burke with the California Building Industry Association. We are support, if amended, for SB 4. We request that the labor provisions to be removed from the Bill. Other than that, this is a wonderful Bill, and we want to thank Senator Wiener for his leadership in addressing California's housing crisis.

Thank you. Line number 163. Go ahead.

Hi, this is Adam Buchbinder from the City of Campbell in the South Bay and Policy Lead for South Bay YIMBY, proud to support SB 4. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 194.

Hi, this is Toby Muresianu. I'm calling from Los Angeles on behalf of West Side for Everyone in strong support of SB 4. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 32.

Hi, Allison Scheller from Los Angeles, a single family homeowner. I work with a church right now in south central. It's taken us two years to put in 15 units of housing on church property. Thank you, Senator Weiner. I support SB 4.

Thank you. Line number 201. 201?

This is the Reverend Daniel Tamm of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. Our bishop has committed 25% of all church lands in the diocese to affordable housing. If only we could get SB 4 passed. Thank you. Strong support.

Thank you. Line number 80. Line number 80?

Good afternoon, this is Shane Boston, Business Manager of Plumbers and Pipefitters, Local 484 in Ventura County. I stand with the State Building Trades in strong opposition to this Bill.

Thank you. Line number 176. 176?

Good afternoon, Chair Members. Priscilla Quiroz, on behalf of the City of Beverly Hills, in respectful opposition. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 115. 115?

Good afternoon, this is Gretchen Newsom on behalf of IBEW Local 569 and our 3600 union electricians of San Diego and Imperial Counties, calling in opposition unless amended, for both Senate Bill 4 and 423. You don't build housing by breaking the backs of workers. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 111. 111?

Hello. This is Jason Lindsey, President/Business Agent of Iron Workers Local 378, and I stand with the State Building Trades and oppose unless amended.

Thank you. Line number 47. 47?

Yeah, my name is Wyatt Stiles with the Local 398 Plumbers and Steamfitters, and I'm standing with the State Building Trades in opposition of this Bill.

Thank you. Line number 125.

Hi, yes, good afternoon. This is James Ashcroft. I'm the Business Agent with Iron Workers Local 378, and I stand opposed to SB 4 unless amended.

Line number 126.

Can you hear me?

Go ahead.

Yes. Good afternoon. My name is Paul Moreno, President/Business Agent, Iron Workers Local 433 LA. And we stand with State Building Trades in opposition of SB 4, unless amended. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 53. 53?

My name is Brian Pors, and I'm a Business Agent for UA Local 393, representing over 3100 plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters, and HVACR service technicians in Santa Clara and San Benito counties. Today, I'm calling in to oppose SB 4, unless amended, and ask that you all do the same. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. Line number 189. 189?

Hi. My name is Paul Bickmore. I live in Oakland, and I volunteer with California YIMBY and East Bay for Everyone, and I'm calling in strong support of SB 4. Thanks.

Thank you. Line number 177. 177?

This is Robert Naylor, representing Fieldstud and Company. That's Howard Amundsen, Jr., an Orange County philanthropist, in strong support of SB 4.

Thank you. We will go to line number 203. 203?

Madam Chair. Todd Bloomstine, representing the Southern California Contractors Association, in support of SB 4. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 50.

Vice Chair and Committee, this is Rob Stoker on behalf of Sheet Metal Workers Local 104 and the Building Construction Trades Council of Alameda County. We stand with the State Building Trades in opposition of SB 4, unless amended. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, we will go to line number 147.

Topher Mathers, speaking on behalf of Active San Gabriel Valley, and we support SB 4.

Thank you. Can we get line number 166, please? Go ahead.

Good afternoon. Danny Wright, Business Manager, UA Local 246, in Fresno, California, representing members from Fresno, Madera, Kings and Tulares counties. We stand with the Building Trades in opposition unless amended. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, we will go to line number 181. Please go ahead.

My name is Tim Clark with Ladera Community Church in Portola Valley. I'm in strong support of the SB 4.

Thank you. Next, we will go to line number 74. Please go ahead.

Hi, there. This is Jordan Wynne from the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, calling in in strong support of SB 4. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Line number 83, please go ahead.

Hello, this is David Barboza on behalf of Abundant Housing LA, in strong support of SB 4. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, we will go to line number 61. 61, please go ahead.

Good afternoon. This is John Henry Lopez with the UA Plumbers and Pipefitters, Local 246, representing Fresno, Madera and Tulare, Kings counties, and I am standing in strong opposition of this Bill, unless amended. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 101. 101?

Hello. This is Nick Moore, Local 8 Elevators Union. I'm standing in solidarity with the State Building Trades, in opposition. You cannot build housing that could be unsafe. A skilled and trained workforce is mandatory for the safety of the residents. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 142. 142?

Hello. My name is Reverend Heidi Worthen Gamble. I'm with the Presbyterian of the Pacific, Presbyterians in Southern California in the Los Angeles area, representing 54 churches in strong support of SB 4. We need to find and strike the right balance between worker protection and the need for labor in this affordable housing crisis.

Thank you. We will go to line number 206. 206?

Yes, this is Martin Rodriguez, Iron Workers Local 433. I stand with the State Building Trades that oppose this Bill unless amended. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 72. 72, please go ahead. Line number 72, your line is open.

This is Colin Johnson with the Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, we stand in line with the State Building Trades in opposition of SB 4. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 200.

Good afternoon. This is Juan Rodriguez with IBEW Local 40. We stand with the State Building Trades and oppose SB 4, unless amended.

Thank you. Line number 54. 54.

Rick Vasquez with Sprinkler Fitters UA Local 709. We stand with the State Building Trades in opposition unless amended. Thank you.

Line number 68.

Hi, my name is Frank Martinez, Policy Director for the Southern California Association of Nonprofit Housing, or SCANPH. We are a co-sponsor of this Bill. SCANPH represents the nonprofit builders of affordable housing in Southern California, a region of 19 million people. Our members strongly support this Bill, and they have real, affordable housing projects in their pipelines that would move forward faster as soon as this Bill is passed. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 57. 57?

Good afternoon. Kevin Ferreira, Sacramento-Sierra Building and Construction Trades Council. And we stand with the California State Building Trades in opposition unless amended. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 151.

Carol Kim with the San Diego Building Trades Council in opposition, again, unless amended. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 137.

Yeah, this is Larry Mazzola, UA Local 38. Plumbers and Pipefitters, Business Manager out of San Francisco, strongly oppose this Bill unless amended. And I want to make it clear that there is only one union in support of this Bill, and they are not part of the building trades. Thank you.

Thank you. We will go to line number 76. Please go ahead. Line number 76, please go ahead.

Hi, this is Peter Lang, representing Roofers and Waterproofers Local 40 of San Francisco County and San Mateo. And we stand in with State Building Trades in strong opposition of this Bill unless amended.

Thank you. Line number 85. 85? Line number 85, your line is open. Okay, we will move on to the next line, which would be 58. Please go ahead.

Good afternoon. My name is Gorgina Halaufia, with IBEW Local 595, representing nearly 2500 electrical workers in Alameda, San Joaquin and Calaveras counties, standing in solidarity with the State Building Trades, in opposition to Senate Bill 4. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 138. Line number 138, you're open.

Yeah. Good afternoon. Can you hear me now?

Go ahead.

All right, my name is Patrick Davidson, Local 1399, Painters and Allied Trades, represent San Diego and Imperial counties. I stand in opposition with State Building Trades unless amended. Thank you.

Thank you. We'll go to line number 182.

Hello, this is Rob Nielsen from Palo Alto and Peninsula for Everyone, and I am calling in for strong support of SB 4. Thank you.

Thank you. We will go to line number 89. 89, please go ahead. Line number 89, your line is open. Okay, next, we will move on to line number 130. 130, please go ahead. Line number 130, your line is open. Okay, we will go to line number 133. Line number 133.

Good afternoon. Rudy Gonzalez, San Francisco Building and Construction Trade Council, representing over 1700 apprentices in our area and 8000 skilled and trained union workers. And we oppose, unless amended and staying with State Building Trades.

Thank you. We will go to line number 75. Please go ahead.

Yes, this is Reverend Bert Newton in Pasadena with Making Housing and Community Happen, and we are in strong support of SB 4 to address the severe affordable housing crisis.

Next, we will go to line number 141.

Be there. What's supposed to be in last year's budget.

Line number 141, your line is open.

Thank you. I hope I captured all of that, Fred.

Okay, next we will go to line number 40. Line number 40?

Yeah, hi, Todd Berry with Road Sprinkler Fitters, Local 669. And I stand in opposition unless amended with the State Building Trades. Thank you.

Thank you. Next we will go to line number 34.

Mickey Owens. Local 669. I stand with the State Building Trades, in opposition unless amended.

Thank you. Line number 37.

Joseph Clark. Local 669. I stand in opposition with the State Building Trades unless amended.

Thank you. Line number 215.

Hi, this is Robert Ruckman, lead with Volunteer, lead with San Francisco YIMBY, in strong support. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 105. 105?

Yes, hi, this is Frank Austin. I'm a business representative with UA local 393. We represent 3100 plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters and HVAC service technicians here in Santa Clara and San Bernardino County. And we stand with State Building Trades and stand in opposition of SB 4 unless amended.

Thank you. Line number 186.

Good afternoon. Edmundo Escarcega here. I'm also a business representative with UA Local 393, Plumbers, Steamfitters and Refrigeration Fitters in Santa Clara and San Benito counties. And we stand with the State Building Trades in opposition to this Bill unless amended. Thank you.

Thank you. Next we will go to line number 99. Please go ahead.

Line number 99, your line is open.

Doug Mangioni, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 441, Orange County. We stand with the building trades in opposition to SB 4 unless amended.

Thank you. Line number 211. 211.

Hi, this is David Watson with Mountain View YIMBY in support of SB 4.

Thank you. Line number 221. 221. They took themselves out of queue. We will go with 219. Please go ahead. Okay, 223, please go ahead.

This is Ryan Meckle. On behalf of Santa Cruz YIMBY, in strong support of SB 4. Thank you.

Thank you. We will now go to 219. Please go ahead.

Good afternoon. My name is Erica Valentine with UA Local 393. Of the plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters, and HVCA technicians of Santa Clara and San Benito counties. We represent 3100 Members. Today, we stand with the building trades in opposition of SB 4 unless amended. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 227. 227.

Hi, my name is Sean McFeely. I'm a proud UMB volunteer and strong support. Thank you.

Thank you. Line number 152.

Yes, this is Brandon Lovenburg, UA Local 246. Fresno plumbers and pipe fitters, and we stand in strong opposition of SB 4 unless amended.

Thank you, line number 42. Line number 42.

Yeah, this is Randy Wetmur, Ironworkers Local 416. We stand with strong opposition on SB four with state-building trades.

Thank you. We will go to line number 39. And this will be our last.

Chris Grizzle, Local 669. I stand in strong opposition of SB four. Carpenters build walls. They don't hang pipes.

Thank you very much. Madam Moderator. We have reached our 20 minutes.

Okay, sure.

What's that? Madam Moderator, we have taken 20 minutes of online testimony, so we're going to stop our online testimony, but we want to thank all of our support and opposition witnesses. We will now bring the discussion back to our members. Do any of our members have any questions or comments they would like to make? Senator Seyarto?

Thank you. Senator Wiener and I much appreciate your tenacity in trying to address what is almost an impossible problem for California in our housing industries. When you take away zoning, just say you change the zoning. The city doesn't have any say in it. What happens to the rest of their zoning? What happens to their general plan? Because, as I understand it, I've worked in local government a lot.

Once you change zone for the zoning, for one, and made it more dense or less dense, or added VMT and other things, it affects the ability of other properties that is probably zoned for the same thing that's actually zoned for it to get through the process itself. So how do you address that if the city is not going to be involved so that their general plan, all of their elements that are part of the general plan don't get thrown out of whack.

And out of whack means in disfavor with the housing commission here in California.

Sure. Thank you for that question. A couple of things. This is not, I'm going to say, quote-unquote, throwing out local zoning. There is land that may not be zoned for residential that's owned by religious institutions that will now be zoned for it.

The bill, if you look at, and this was extensively negotiated in governance and finance Committee with Senator McGuire, who was the chair at the time, three years ago, their local height limit often applies, or it might be local height limit plus one if it's in a more commercial area.

So that this doesn't just eliminate local zoning; it makes some changes to it, particularly for areas where the church land might not be zoned for residential, but in terms of the general or the housing element, I don't think it has any effect on the rest of it. If the city has zoned for different things in different parts of the city, that'll remain.

This will help cities meet their arena because we know that cities sometimes zone parcels, and sometimes there are big fights about this, about whether a parcel is actually realistic. Right. And we have a history in which we've tried to move away from cities zoning a cemetery for high-density housing or a brand new target that was just built two years ago for high-density housing or sites that we know are never going to get built.

We've tried to move away from that, but there's always disputes, and we know that there are, even now, land that's identified that they hope will become available that may not. So this will be helpful to cities in meeting the hardest part of the arena. Most cities don't even meet their market rate arena, but almost no city meets their below-market rate arena, it's the hardest part to meet. This will help cities meet that obligation.

Right. And I've heard this a lot in just the three years people have been dealing with this in this legislature for more than three years. It's been 5, 6, 7 years. I see old bills that come through, and not one of them has been successful in dealing with what you're talking about. Otherwise, we all wouldn't be here. I think my issue with bills like this is that we're kind of taking bites out of local control. Like that's the problem, and it's not the problem.

The problem is, over the last 30 to 40 years, the state has imposed so many regulations and such a process to get through that we have created a situation where our supply is severely behind the demand. And no matter how hard we try and what other fixes we do, we just can't seem to fix that.

I know current affordable housing projects that were started when I just first got back on a city council eight years ago, and they're just now getting the financing from HCD to be able to start the project. So, it didn't fix the process. Whatever that law was that they were using to get this process going, it didn't fix it.

What needs fixed is the state's entire process for building everything because not only is the housing falling behind, but once you've built housing, once you've cleared the path to build all the housing, we still have roads, flood control, we have to attract jobs. We need water infrastructure, commercial buildings to support that housing, affordable and safe transit lines. We need schools. And all of that is being affected by the state's process.

And none of what we have tried to do in the last five years or ten years even has fixed that. And so we keep throwing sequel exemptions into this project, and that project and nothing's working. And so, at some point, we're going to have to face the fact that we got to put everybody to work doing all of those things. But all of those things are being obstructed by our process. And if we don't address that as a state, we're never going to solve this problem.

First of all, I don't disagree that the state sometimes puts roadblocks in the way. And some of the work I've done has addressed that on some of the issues that you've raised. I don't disagree with that. What I do disagree with is to suggest that it's only the state because we know that when cities say you're not allowed to build any housing in this area, or you can't build multi-unit, or we're going to reject all affordable housing.

There are obstructions that happen at the local level, too, unfortunately. And we have passed streamlining bills in the last, since I've been here, which is a little over six years now that have been very successful in, for example, the next bill we're going to hear, you're going to hear that for affordable housing, the approval time goes from several years to several months. So, I partially agree with you, but I partially disagree. Right.

And I understand that. But be mindful that local agencies, and especially newer cities, were all made to go through an extremely expensive process. Doing a general plan is a long process. It takes probably three to four or five years, sometimes costs millions of dollars for the community. And it's all based on what they're being told by the state that their general plan has to include. And so they include all those things.

And then they're given the bag of regulations that need to be enforced for people to be able to come in and build. And then we tell cities that, hey, you guys aren't doing your job. They're just doing what they were told to do. And now we're coming at them with this exemption and that exemption to tell them that, "Hey, you know what? You guys aren't doing your job. You're not letting these things through." They can't.

They can't by law because that's when the third element of this comes, and that's the lawsuit that comes at the end of the parade to stop everything. And if we don't fix that, we're not going to fix this problem. And I'm kind of tired of throwing solutions at the problem that aren't working because we're not looking at the underlying problem. I always use fire service stuff. It's like aiming the Hose above the fire and letting it go over.

It looks really cool, but it's not putting the fire out. We need to aim the hose at the right place, and that's the base of the fire, and we simply aren't doing that. And I understand we keep doing it a little here and a little there, but we're not doing it. Otherwise, everybody would be working because we have so much stuff that needs to be done.

This is aiming right at the fire.

Well, I was a firefighter. I'd say this is aiming at the top of the flame. I appreciate your assessment, though. Thank you.

Thank you. Senator Seyarto. Do we have any other comments, questions? Senator Caballero, please.

I don't have any questions. I just want to be able to frame what I think is an unfortunate situation. And I know Senator Wiener has grappled with this as well. There is no question that we have a housing crisis in the state of California. I think we all agree, and what we disagree is the absolute perfect solution. There isn't any. We've got to try to chip away little by little at the things that will actually make a difference.

And I really appreciate this year; let me just say that I've supported this bill in the past, and I really appreciated this year the religious institutions being here because this is going to provide an opportunity for outreach into the community to build housing that's desperately needed. And in communities that may have been the most recalcitrant about building affordable housing, my experience serving in local government is that being the mayor of a blue-collar community, we built housing, affordable housing in our communities.

But 30 miles away from us, 20 miles away from us, the wealthier communities abrogated their responsibility and did not build affordable housing at all. And so it really put a lot of pressure on those that represented. I'm from a rural agricultural community, put a lot of pressure on us. So the more that we can engage the entire community and to do it through this bill, I think it's a really important thing.

Let me just say that I'm really sad and disheartened at the disagreement between the different unions. I'm there with you. I want to have union protections, want to make sure we have good paying jobs and that we're doing everything we can to lift up the work and the workers, both because, quite frankly, a lot of these housing units are going to be starter homes for, for union members to be able to get into and build wealth and leave something to their families.

And so this is really important. But the battle over the language has me very concerned. This is a housing bill and it's got some huge impacts on the labor community. But I want to hope that there's a sweet spot where we can get to yes.

And so there, I think, are many of us here at the dais that wants to see the disagreements between the trades, and the carpenters resolved so that we can have a happy peace and all be here together and hold hands and move forward. I don't want to be killing housing bills because we can't agree on things. I just don't. This is such a critical issue that we can't wait any longer.

And so I'm going to ask Senator Wiener if he's willing to continue to sit at the table and to try to work this thing out. I chair the next committee that this goes to, and, like I said, I don't want to be killing housing bills. We desperately need the work, and we need the units. So, Senator Wiener...

Thank you very much, Senator Caballero. And I just want to say that, first of all, a point you made, which is important, is that this bill will put a significant percentage of this land in what we call high-opportunity communities. So we're not just only putting, we're spreading it out. It's going to be in lower-income communities, higher income because we need housing everywhere. In terms of the labor split -

- and I do want to correct, there was one caller from a certain union leader, my community, who said only one union was supporting this bill. No, it's actually the carpenters, the operating engineers, the laborers, SEIU, and the School Employees Association. Just to correct the record on that. None of us likes labor versus labor fights. It happens sometimes in the legislature. It's happening here. I authored two trade-sponsored bills last year. I authored two bills last year, public works bills with skilled workforce protections in it.

It's not comfortable for me, either, to be involved in this, but I do want to just say because this issue popped up three years ago, especially with respect to 100% affordable housing. It was three years ago with the predecessor of this bill, SB 899. For three years. I have said to the trades until I'm blue in the face, that I want to resolve this, and I want people to come to the table so that we can resolve this. And it takes two to tango.

And the trades, respectfully, have not changed their position one inch since that conversation I had with Robbie Hunter three years ago in May of 2020. We did have the slight movement in SB 6 with the agreement to the bitter language in skilled workforce. I offered the beginning. I suggested, "Can we do an AB 2011 SB 6 kind of resolution like we did last year?" And I was told, "No, that the trades no longer support that." Not criticizing. I'm just observing. My door is always open.

I met with Mr. Meredith two weeks ago. I'm happy to continue meeting. I know the carpenters were willing to bring everyone to the table to try to resolve this in a way that will actually get housing built, but it does take two to tango.

Thank you, Senator Wiener. Senator Wahap.

Thank you. And thank you, Senator Caballero. I wanted to ask Senator Wiener specifics about this bill, just so the public is informed. Can you explain the affordability of this particular Bill?

So this bill, only 100% below market rate. This only applies to 100% below market rate. It can have a small percentage of 80% to 120% AMI, which is considered moderate income, below market rate housing, with the bulk of it being under 80%. Low, very low, extremely low. The average AMI always must be 80% or lower.

We also know that because of the nature of state affordable housing funding streams, there's an incentive to make sure that you have some of that very low and extremely low-income housing in these projects. There's a big financial incentive to do that so that we are actually making sure that we're housing the people who are in the most desperate need for it. But this still only applies to 100% deed-restricted, below-market-rate housing.

My second question was deed restricted. And then, as far as the conversation regarding the labor disputes, I think it's very challenging when the majority of us want to support working people getting paid fairly and much more. I know that is a deep, deep concern of the larger body. This is the Housing Committee. And I do just want to frankly state that if there is a disagreement, we have to prioritize affordability. Right. And so I do just want to state that I do -

Okay.

- second, Senator Caballero's concerns, and if there is a conversation, and I do believe from both sides, there needs to be a good faith effort to come together. Otherwise, we will be prioritizing affordability. Right. And that is one of the biggest concerns that I have, is that we are not developing enough low and extremely low-income housing across the board.

So I will be supporting that, but still stressing very much that affordability is very important to me, but also making sure that all members of labor are on the same page moving forward, hopefully. So thank you. And that's all my questions.

Thank you, Senator Wahab. We also have Senator Cortese. Let's have Senator Blakespear. Okay, Senator Cortese. And then Senator Blakespear.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm just going to make a couple of comments. Obviously, if the author wants to respond now, fine. Although full disclaimer, I intend to comment and ask a couple of questions, particularly of witnesses, and those are here to answer questions about workforce standards when we get to the next bill. So, I don't want to be redundant and basically do this twice.

My concern, first of all, let me back up just a minute and say to Senator Wiener, as the author, thank you for all of your work. Landmark legislation in the area of streamlining and working through what just a few years ago was really an untouchable topic, which is getting at CEQA and the use of CEQA in some places, in some ways as an obstacle to housing production. You and I served at the regional level in our own Bay Area community, working through the RHNA process.

I saw firsthand how frustrated you were, and I know that you're also so environmentally conscious that you're concerned about the colocation, or lack thereof, of affordable housing and jobs, which is a tremendous concern in our own Bay Area cities. So I want to acknowledge all that, as well as obviously the excellent work that your committee staff does in assisting you in producing this work product I've relied upon them myself at times over the last couple of years. So thank you for all that.

Similar to Senator Caballero's comments, of course, I know you will expect this from me because we've talked about it. I'm a co-author of this bill, and I coauthored the bill in the hope that we would be able to, through the course of the session here, get to the right place in terms of workforce standards. I do believe that it takes two to tango, so to speak.

But I would say at the same time and say this as labor chair, different committee, different jurisdiction, that doesn't fall solely on the building trades council. It falls on both parties coming forward, sitting down, and hashing through what doesn't work or what won't work here, or what hasn't worked in the past. And I know your concern is a concern about what hasn't worked in the past. Got to try something different. I think that's very much a carpenter's concern as well.

That said, for me, ultimately, during the course of the run of this bill, the issues about the lack of this language, in my humble opinion, again, as chair of the labor committee and somebody who gets immersed in this stuff day in and day out, the current language doesn't drive apprenticeship, and it isn't going to lead to a trained workforce.

It obviously won't lead to application of a trained workforce, but it won't even lead to the creation or the building of a trained workforce in a state which, the last time I checked, was lowest per capita of all 50 states in apprenticeship programs in general, not just in construction. So that has to be resolved so that we're in integrity with the values that at least my caucus holds. Your caucus, our caucus, holds going forward because that's not what we stand for.

It's not what we stand for in terms of workforce development. Taking a step back is not. Okay. So, really, all sides need to come forward and address that -all sides. I'm not putting that on the author per se, but I do think it's an unfortunate circumstance of the way we operate as a Legislature.

Those rules have been here long before any of us, that we would have a Bill whose primary contention is labor standards coming because it's also a very significant housing bill, but whose primary contention is not the housing piece and the production piece, but the labor piece, starting off in a non-labor Committee, and then with all due respect to Senator Caballero important work in governance and finance going there, where the committee staff and people who focus jurisdictionally on issues.

Have not spent 15 or 20 years or 25 years working through these issues in a professional manner. So that also is not on the author or this committee.

I think it's an unfortunate circumstance that we have to proceed based on our own rules and rules, in a way that rules has assigned bills in a way that leaves these issues hanging before they're in really the proper forum and the proper technical forum and the proper room to get hashed out in a way that I think would be singular and consistent with all of our values.

Consistent with all of our values is not to have multiple standards on residential construction workforce or, frankly, work construction workforce in general. At times. Last year, through no fault of anyone here, we had up to five different versions of workforce standards in different bills being proposed in moving through the legislature, again, without any real attempt to consolidate those into a statement of what our values really are in that regard, a singular, universal standard that would apply to this kind of work.

So, as Senator Caballero said, and I think Senator Wahab also alluded to, at least, I don't want to put words in her mouth, but my vote today would not be my vote on the floor if we somehow arrived all the way to the floor without still having addressed all these issues. And I'm certainly willing to do my part. It's not somebody else's work; it's all of our work.

But it has to be resolved, as far as I'm concerned before we get to that final day of reckoning. Because otherwise, I think it puts us in the spot, or people like me, of saying it's okay. It's okay to have to not know what our standard really is and to move forward. Bills that frankly are at odds with each other, maybe your bill and my bill. For example, last year, it was two other bills that were at odds with each other.

We approve them both as if multiple standards are okay and something that's so vital to creating equity in a California for all. So since I said more than I thought I would on this bill, I will say less on the next bill. But I do have a couple of questions when we get to 423 to ask some of the witnesses. Again, thank you for your work. I'll be an I vote today, of course, as I said, but looking forward to resolution.

Thank you. I do want to stress we're in our first committee. This is literally the first time this bill has ever been in Committee. Great to resolve things by first committee. With AB 2011 and SB 6 last year, I don't think that got resolved until August if my memory serves. Senator Caballero was deeply involved in that, and it took a while. If we can get it resolved by the floor, that's great.

But I just want to reiterate that when this first came up three years ago, three days later, I was in Mr. Hunter's office to, like, let's try to resolve this. And nothing hasn't moved since then. And there are limits to my ability. I can't tell someone you have to change your position. The trades are entitled to whatever position they want. We're in a democracy, but it makes it hard to negotiate. And believe me, I want to resolve this. That is my desire.

Senator Blakespear.

Yes. Thank you. Well, thank you for the thoughtful comments from my colleagues and also to the public for coming and speaking today and expressing your opinion. And I also just want to thank the author, Senator Wiener, for this bill. I think I very much support this bill. When I first saw it and heard the concept, it seemed to make so much sense to me.

When I think about my community, which I came from being the mayor of, there are so many faith communities that would be interested in this, and they're providing 100% affordable for their communities. So, it's a way to build community from within a very local control type of structure.

And so I think when I think about why this is so needed, it really comes back to the reality that the low housing supply in this state, which is estimated to be 2.5 million units, a million of them, should need to be affordable in the next eight to 10 years.

That that problem, the lack of supply, is really a major driver of our other problems in this state, like homelessness and a lack of upward mobility, people's ability to access opportunity, also the mega commutes that then contribute to climate change, a whole bunch of problems that really, in my mind, swirl around this problem of a critically low-housing supply. So when this bill and you also referred to it, it could unlock 38,000 acres of land -

- and I think that that seems like a really tremendous potential to do a lot in our state. And I go back to the accountability and oversight hearings that we had just last week in this committee, and the reality is that housing creation remains stagnant. So even though in this state we've had some really great bills that have created streamlining and some bright spots like the number of ADUs have gone up by a factor of 10.

But overall, across the state, the graphs show that we're still stagnant, so we're not making the progress we need to if we really want to deal with homelessness in a substantive way and the middle-class housing affordability crisis that we see. So, I agree with my colleagues that I hope these disagreements get resolved with the labor factions. And it's very painful to be talking to friends and to see these disagreements and to hope that there's a way to find that middle ground.

It is clearly true that everybody needs to come to the table in good faith in order to find those places. But really focusing on the need for us to create housing as a top priority and to find fair standards that also create good jobs and allow people to access a middle-class lifestyle, all of those things are really what we're going for.= I think we all share those values. And so the question is, how do we get there?

And I have every faith in all of the negotiating partners that we'll be able to. But I also just want to say thank you, and I'm excited to support this bill today.

Thank you. Senator Blakespear. I do have a couple of comments, actually. More questions. I understand that California is one of the leading states. California is one of the leading states when it comes to many areas: labor, environment laws, you name it, we have it. I had the privilege to sit on Labor Committee these past two years with Senator Cortese, and something popped into my head with regards to some of the comments and concerns that we saw with bills that were going through committee.

And I'm not sure if Senator Cortese would like to comment or not, but it was with regards to enforcement. And I know that this bill is trying to address some of these concerns, some of the safety concerns. But with regards to enforcement, what elements or components do you have here? Safeguards within that scope?

Yeah, absolutely. There is a problem in the construction industry with wage theft. There are plenty of contractors that do follow the law and do the right thing by their workers. But we have wage theft issues in this industry. And so this bill requires the payment of prevailing wage, the same prevailing wage that you would get in a skilled workforce situation, plus health care and the other requirements.

And then, if there is a violation, the labor commissioner can enforce, or the person whose wages have been stolen can enforce it. But I also want to stress that for that enforcement. This bill is voluntary, right? No builder, a church, anyone who's building is required to utilize this bill. If they choose to opt in and utilize this bill, then all these provisions, including the enforcement, apply.

They could decide to do it the other way and go seek a rezoning from the city council and have a sequel lawsuit and everything else. But if they choose to do it, then either the labor commissioner or the underpaid worker.

Okay. So there are components in there that will protect or they have recourse if something were to happen. Correct on that end. And it also allows to have options and choices for those builders or for the local. Okay, so, having said that, I believe we have. Senator Wahap, you would like to...

Yes, I'll move this item.

Okay.

All right. So, Madam Secretary, would you like to call the roll?

This is Senate Bill 4 by Senator Wiener. The motion is due, passed, and referred to the Committee on Governance and Finance. [Roll Call]

We have a 6-1 vote, and we're going to hold the roll open for our absent members. Senator Wiener, would you like to proceed with your second bill, SB 423?

Thank you very much, Madam Chair and colleagues, and thank you for your patience. It's a robust conversation today; I now will present Senate Bill 423, which removes the sunset on one of California's most successful housing laws, is Senate Bill 35, which actually was the first bill that I introduced upon getting sworn in the day I was sworn into the legislature in 2016.

And this bill does not in any way touch local zoning at all, but it provides a streamlined approval process in cities that are falling short of their regional housing needs assessment goals, and it does it by income category. So, a city becomes streamlined only in the categories where it's falling short of its goals. The purpose of SB 35, and that's also SB 423, is to help cities that are falling short catch up and meet their goals. We've had extensive discussions today about the profound shortage.

SB 35 went into effect in 2018. It was a slow start, as is often the case with new housing bills, and then started accelerating. Nearly 20,000 new homes have either been streamlined or are in process to streamline under SB 35. To date, in my city of San Francisco, 3,000 new homes. It's been very successful and has dramatically reduced the approval time. It has primarily benefited below-market-rate housing, about 75% of the units.

We have made some changes to the bill to make sure that the mixed-income element is more successful. And we've just talked about some of the labor standards, and perhaps we'll discuss them again. So, colleagues, SB 35 is. It really is, I think, one of our bedrock housing laws. It expires in a couple of years.

We want to remove the sunset now because people, cities and builders plan years in advance, and we don't want to wait until the last minute to decide if this bill is going to expire. That would be harmful to the ability of cities and builders to plan. As with the last bill, we've already had some conversations with the building trades. I had two meetings so far. Continue to hope that we'll be able to get to a resolution, and I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

With me today to testify on this bill is Jay Bradshaw, the Executive Officer of the Northern California Carpenters Union, and Iman Novin, the President of Novin Development. Thank you.

Thank you, Senator Wiener. We will now move on to lead witnesses in support.

All right. Good afternoon, Madam Chair and committee members honored to be here today, strongly supporting Senate Bill 423. It's been talked about a lot. We are in a serious crisis of housing production in the state of California. No secret about that. At every income level, what's going on with the unhoused? What's going on? The lack of workforce housing. Affordable housing, but housing at all income levels. But there's another crisis going on in residential.

When you look at the residential industry, primarily wood frame, multifamily type three, if you like, construction, the type of housing we mostly need produced. There are over 300,000 nonunion workers in that workforce currently, and they are hyper-exploited. It's been talked about a little bit, and that workforce has not been organized. We intend to go out and with the tools in this bill, it has the strongest labor enforcement language of any bill we can find or any law throughout the country.

So just not only prevailing wages, health care requirements, opportunity for apprenticeship, but also the strongest labor enforcement language, empowering labor-management committees to bring justice to those jobs. The reality is, right now, only one in seven trades workers in the state of California qualify under skilled and trained in the residential industry, maybe one in 10, and that would be your large residential projects. So this is not from where the carpenters are coming from. It's not about having a fight with anyone in the labor movement.

It's about those workers out there, and it's about production. SB 35 itself, a very successful bill, shows it clearly, the primary success. SB 35 required prevailing wages to be paid for affordable housing production, below market rate production. Currently, there are maybe one or two projects that will require skilled and trained, but nothing has moved yet. No housing has happened. So, again, when it comes down to it, what we're looking at is we will not support any labor standards we feel are exclusionary. We have every intention.

We think it's our primary purpose as a labor organization in construction to reach out and help those workers pull up into the union family. We see this strongly as pro-labor, pro-union standards that are also pro-housing production. Again, in an industry that, unfortunately, overall, has been ignored. The carpenter's union is actually the largest footprint of any labor union in the residential industry. We have a third of the registered apprentices out there, and overall, all crafts.

We have the most amount of skilled and trained certified workers. It's easy to track the numbers through LM-2s and everything else, but also looking at the DAS graduation rates. So again, we are absolutely all in for apprenticeship and opportunity, but those workers that are out there now, and we do need to increase the workforce, upwards of 80,000 workers per year.

So we not only need the current non-union workforce in residential, we need to grow that and grow opportunity, but we cannot leave that workforce out. And we need to produce housing fast. So, with the platforms to go out, bring workers' rights to those jobs, and grow, it's the organizing opportunity of a lifetime for any labor organization. Again, whether it be by intention or not, skilled and trained will exclude those 90 workers, and we'll actually exclude about 100,000 union members currently in the State of California.

We can't afford that. So we appreciate your support on this. Remember those workers. Remember, we need to produce the housing to bring solutions to our state. We strongly support this bill.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir. Do we have any other witnesses in support?

Yes, coming forward. Thank.

Thank you. Good afternoon, Senate Housing Committee and Senator Wiener; thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Iman Novin. I am the President and founder of Novin Development. We are a mission-driven, affordable, and workforce housing developer in the State of California. We've got approximately 14 projects and over 600 units in the pipeline, serving a broad range of incomes. I created a Novin Development to focus on missing middle housing, workforce housing.

And so we're very much interested in figuring out how to make mixed-income work. As you know, most state bills and funding is focused on very low and low-income housing. However, the majority of our population is in the missing middle, and so we're very keenly aware of SB 35. We've used it on two projects, and neither of them would have been approved without SB 35.

In fact, we had council members in a political environment working to use a small section of the bill that allows for a council oversight hearing to basically derail our project and stop it from getting approved. And so it was with the help of the carpenters union, YIMBY Law, HCD's housing Accountability unit, and SB 35 that we eventually got housing approved on a site that was entitled for housing. So it's a very useful build, and our projects wouldn't have happened without it.

It was through this implementation that it revealed some of the challenges and, I think, some of the improvements in SB 35, particularly around the use for mixed-income housing. The labor standards, as written, are more stringent for mixed-income projects where, let's say, only half of the project is receiving state subsidy, the other half is privately financed, and the labor standards are way more difficult to meet.

So it naturally moves people or developers into building 100% affordable housing projects because you're able to leverage state funding for the entire project and the cost is lower. And so I wholeheartedly agree with Senator Cortese. There should be a single standard across this bill for whether it's mixed-income or if it's a 100% affordable housing project.

I think that'll help to streamline and create missing middle housing, because it's not an either or, it's an and we need deeply affordable housing, but we also need missing middle housing. Other challenges. The council oversight hearing, I think this makes some great changes to that so it's not misused, and then the fact that it streamlines the provisions permanently so that we have access to the streamlined process beyond 2025. These are critical changes that we support.

Ultimately, SB 423 also replaces restrictive hiring rules with high road labor standards for all construction workers, and again, I think the example of our project, the skilled and trained workforce requirements, really didn't work out. And we had to take a project that started out as 5050 affordable housing and turn it into 100% affordable housing project to ultimately make it viable. So with that, again, I strongly urge you to support this bill today. And happy to take any questions. Thank you for your time.

Thank you very much. Now we're going to hear from witnesses in support here in room 1200.

Madam Chair, Scott Govenar, on behalf of the Construction Employers Association, in support. Thank you.

Madam Chair and members: Karen Lang, on behalf of San Francisco Mayor London Breed, in support.

Thank you, Madam Chair and members. Michael Gunning with Lighthouse Public Affairs here on behalf of SPUR, Habitat for Humanity, Sandhill Properties, BuildCasa, and United Way Greater LA. Thank you.

Susan Rodriguez. We need housing now. Carpenter's Local 152 member, I live in Stockton, California, San Joaquin County. I am in support of SB 423. Thank you,

Good afternoon. My name is Laura Drocic. I'm a field representative out of Nor Cal Carpenters Union. I am also a proud member of Local Union 405, San Jose, California. I am in support of 423.

Doug Chesshire: Carpenters Local 605 out of Monterey County. I'm here in support of SB 423. Thank you very much.

Hello, everyone. Matthew Miller, Nor Cal Carpenters Union. I'm a member of Local 9068 out of Livermore. I live in Burlingame Peninsula and we need affordable housing on the peninsula. I'm fortunate enough to live on the peninsula. A lot of my brothers and sisters cannot afford to live out there. Thank you.

Madam Chair. Ed Evans, Carpenters Local 217, Nor Cal Carpenters Union. We represent San Mateo County, and we are in strong support of Senate Bill 423. Thank you.

Good afternoon. Dan McCullough, Carpenters Local 751 out of Sonoma County, based there, and representing their members, and we are in strong support of SB 423. Thank you.

Good afternoon. Sean McGarry, Carpenters Local 22, business agent, San Francisco Norcal Carpenters Union. I stand in support of 423. Thank you.

Good afternoon. My name is Kyle Swarens. I'm a member of Local 46. I'm a representative of Carpenter's Local 751, 3518, and 152. I cover members up in Humboldt all the way north of San Francisco, and I'm here in favor of SB 423. Thank you.

Abram Diaz with NPH and speaking on behalf of my colleagues at All Home and the Silicon Valley Home Action Fund in strong support of SB 423.

Alex Rogala with MidPen Housing, a regional affordable housing developer. We are in support of SB 423.

Voleck Taing with the Silicon Valley Leadership Group in support.

Mahdi Manji with Inner City Law Center. We're a skid rows, pro Bono legal service provider, and we serve folks who are homeless and at risk of homelessness. We are very proud to support and sponsor SB 423.

Bryan Shields, Pile Drivers Local 34, covering northern 46 counties, proudly support SB 423.

Madam Chair and members of the committee: Jordan Panana Carbajal on behalf of California YIMBY as a proud co-sponsor in support of SB 423. Thank you so much.

Hello again. Arturo Rodriguez, Carpenter's Local 2236 out of Oakland, in strong support of this Bill. Thank you.

Good afternoon, Chair and committee members. My name is John Belperio, member of Carpenter's Local 180 in Solano County, a resident of Vacaville, strongly support this Bill 423. Thank you.

Good afternoon. Sean Hebard, proud member of NorCal Carpenters Union 505 in Santa Cruz County, in strong support of SB 423.

Susan Satterholm, a member of San Francisco YIMBY and a resident of low-income supportive housing, and a mother of a millennial trying to find housing in San Jose. I strongly support this.

Marina Wiantt with the California Housing Consortium, proud to be a co-sponsor of this critical piece of legislation and urge your support today.

Hello. Sam Moss, I'm the Executive Director of Mission Housing Development Corporation, a nonprofit affordable housing developer. I'm here representing BRIDGE Housing, Mercy Housing, and the Tenderloin Housing Clinic, John Stewart Corporation. We are in strong support, and among us, we have delivered thousands upon thousands of affordable housing units because of SB 35. So please extend. Thank you.

Hi. Laura Foote: Executive Director of YIMBY Action and mom to Freddie Fog Moss. This is his first housing committee meeting, but probably not his last, and asking you to build housing for this generation and the next one in strong support.

Good afternoon, Chair and members. Jordan Grimes, on behalf of Greenbelt Alliance, we're an environmental nonprofit serving the nine-county Bay Area in strong support today. Thank you so much.

Hello. Alex Melendrez, City of San Bruno. I work at YIMBY Action. I am also a member of Peninsula for Everyone. I am in strong support of SB 423. Thank you.

Good afternoon. Ali Sapirman here on behalf of the Housing Action Coalition, Abundant SF, and last but not least, South Bay YIMBY. Thank you so much. In strong support, of course.

Good afternoon, Senators. Lewis Morant with the Bay Area Council. We represent about 330 of the Bay Area's largest employers here in strong support of extending SB 35 today. Thank you. Good afternoon.

Chair and Members, my name is Ralph Hassenfeld.

I'm with UMB action, and I'm here in strong support of this bill on behalf of Grow the Richmond, Mountain View YIMBY, Napa Solana for Everyone, Northern Neighbors, Pennisula for Everyone, Progress Noe Valley, San Francisco YIMBY, Santa Cruz YIMBY, Santa Rosa YIMBY, SLOCo YIMBY, South Bay YIMBY, Southside Ford, Urban Environmentalist, and Fremont for Everyone. Thank you.

Ron Rowlett, Carpenters Local 180, strong support. Thank you.

Richard Burns, Carpenters Local 213, strong support. Thank you very much. Really appreciate your time. Thank you.

Ryan O'Connell, Napa resident, and How to ADU strong support. Thank you.

Good afternoon, everyone. Jose Amador from the Southwest Mountain States Regional Council, Carpenters Local 721, located at Whittier, California, and we strongly support SB 423. Thank you.

Good afternoon, Madam Chair and committee members. Maria Coronado live in Burbank, California. Proud member of Local 323, and we are in strong support of this bill.

April Atkins, business rep, Local 22, San Francisco, in strong support of 423.

Good afternoon. Jesse Peralez, President, 713, and we're in support of SB 423. Thank you.

Onassis McFarlane, Local 180, Solana County, in support of this bill. Thanks.

Good afternoon. My name is Anthony Levice. I'm a member of Local 2236 out of Oakland, and I strongly support Senate Bill 423. Thank you.

Good afternoon. Antonio Munoz at a Carpenter's Local 713, representing Alameda County, in strong support of Bill 423.

Good afternoon. Jason Martinez, I'm a member of Local 701 for the Carpenters Union out of Fresno and also a proud military veteran in support of 423. Thank you.

Good afternoon. My name is Courtney Pal. I'm with Resources for Community Development. We're a nonprofit affordable housing developer in support of SB 423. Thanks.

Good afternoon. Travis Alexander, Lathers Local 9083 out of Fresno, and we strongly support SB 423.

Good afternoon. Eddy Luna, Norcal, proud, proud member of NorCal Carpenters Local 713, and please do the right thing on support of this bill 423.

Good afternoon. My name is Juan Espinoza. I'm a proud member of NorCal Carpenters Local 217 in San Mateo County, and I'm here in strong support of SB 423. Thank you.

I'm Douglas Leach, a resident of Danville, in support of this bill. Thanks.

Good evening. Francisco Martinez, Field Rep. Carpenters Local 2236 Nor Cal carpenters, covering 46 Northern California counties, and we're in support of this bill.

My name is Ed Gable. I'm a member of Local 102 in Livermore, and we support this bill.

Good afternoon. My name is Daniel Gregg. I'm a member at Norcal Carpenters Local 2236 in Oakland strongly support SB 423. Thank you.

Misa Lopez [foreign language] Por favor, pass this bill.

Mary Ellen Shay, California Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies. Strong support.

Hi, J.T. Harechmak with NPH nonprofit Housing Association of Northern California, and strong support.

Rigoberto Gallardo from San Jose, California, fully support SB 423. Thank you.

Good afternoon. My name is Juan Barbosa, and I'm a field representative at Local 505 in Santa Cruz County. I'm in strong support of SB 423. Thank you.

Good afternoon. My name is Aaron Hadzess. I currently work at Local 22 in San Francisco, and I'm strong support of 424, 3.

Kenneth Do with Local 9144 in San Jose, and I strongly support SB 423.

Chris Martinez, Local 1599 out of Redding, California, and I strongly support this bill.

Gary Santarpia: member of North California Local 46, and I'm in strong support of SB 423.

Hi Jaime Vasquez, out of Local 405 in San Jose, California, and strongly support SB 423.

Giovanni Adelini, I'm a resident of Placerville. I'm a member of 68L in Oakland, and I strongly support this long overdue legislation, SB 423.

Chris Palomo: member at a Local 180 in Vallejo. I'm a strong support of SB 423.

Alberto Lustre: 9144, strongly support 423.

Committee members. Good afternoon. Pedro Mendez, Carpenters Local 22. I'm here in strong support this bill. Thanks.

Carlos Valdez, Norcal Carpenters Union Local 46, Sacramento. I'm in strong support of SB 43.

Tony Bui with the California Apartment Association in strong support. Thanks.

Kyle Patterson, Southwest Mountain States, South Los Angeles. We're in strong support of this bill, SB 423.

Good evening, committee members: Ray Lawson from the beautiful city of Long Beach, California, Local 562; we are strongly in support of this bill. Thank you.

Madam Chair, Members. Danny Curtin, California Conference of Carpenters. I really want you to understand that skilled and trained, as it stands now, would literally exclude the 330,000 or over 300,000 nonunion construction workers in housing and exclude a significant portion of the union construction workers that are in housing. It is a very complex, difficult standard. Be happy to answer some questions afterwards.

And we're in support of AB - SB 423. Thank you.

Scott Littlehale: Richmond, California resident, member of Carpenter's Local 152 and a researcher of housing construction labor standards for 20 years. In strong support of 423.

Thank you. Do we have any other witnesses in support of SB 423 here in room 1200? Seeing none, we'll now move on to witnesses in opposition of SB 423 here in room 1200.

Good afternoon, Madam Chair, committee members. My name is Sabrina Hernandez. I'm a native San Franciscan, a graduate of a state-approved apprenticeship training program, and I'm a state-certified electrician. I'm here today to speak on behalf of the California State Building and Construction Trades Council.

I've been a member of my organization, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers for 35 years. I served my apprenticeship and worked with tools in the field for about half of my career.

The other half I spent creating and directing our Electrical Industry Office of Labor Compliance, where my job involves speaking with workers on public construction projects in San Francisco: where all construction workers, union and non-union, should receive, by law, prevailing wages, and where apprentices registered in state-approved apprenticeship training programs are mandated, the opportunity to work a percentage of hours on projects so that they may learn their craft from experienced and skilled journey persons.

All too often, I meet workers who are unaware that they're entitled to prevailing wages, workers who don't have the benefit of union representation, for example, and many of whom are immigrants with limited English language skills or otherwise vulnerable. I've helped many of these folks who are too afraid to speak up about wage theft or other abuses, fearful of losing their jobs, too afraid to say no even when asked to perform work.

They have no experience in putting their lives and the lives of their coworkers at risk. No one can contest the wrong in subjecting workers to dangerous work they're not trained to perform. And what about the folks who occupy and use the building being built by the unskilled, whether it be a school, a hospital, or housing? Are those buildings safe? I think it's an important question.

I was glad when California legislators passed skilled and trained requirements for construction workers, ensuring that baseline percentages of workers on public and fast-track housing in California would be required to be graduates of state-approved apprenticeship training programs or have equivalent measures of skill and experience.

These programs make high-skill, high-paying careers accessible to people of color, women like me, and vulnerable folks like many of those I've met on San Francisco job sites, people for whom skilled training is the difference between fear and empowerment, between being an abused worker and being a valued worker stepping onto the path of the middle class. SB 423 removes the requirements to use skilled and trained workers and employ apprentices.

Don't let exploitative, profit-driven developers get rich at the expense of the safety of California's construction workers. Please do not allow SB 423 to move forward unless it is amended to retain strong language mandating skilled and trained measures. California's construction workforce, all of us deserve these protections. We urge the members of this committee to work with the State Building Construction and Trades Council before the bill gets off the Senate floor.

Thank you very much for your time.

Madam Chair, Members: Sara Flocks of the California Labor Federation, representing 2 million union members in the State of California. We also stand with the building trades and with my sister from the IBEW in opposing SB 423 unless amended. SB 35 was the product of extensive negotiations that resulted in allowing streamlining for projects if developers were able to meet labor standards that included the prevailing wage and a skilled and trained workforce.

This ensured that workers were paid fairly but also that these projects were creating good middle-class jobs. SB 423 removes those labor standards for residential construction workers. We oppose this on policy, but we oppose this as a matter of principle. It is unacceptable to strip labor protections and labor standards from any worker in the state of California, whether they're a construction worker, a nurse, a teacher, a firefighter, a truck driver, or any other person Californian who works in this state.

For those reasons, we must oppose this bill. And as a federation of unions that represent members in every industry in the state, we know that affordable housing is a priority for working Californians. It's a priority for our members. We hear it every day. But we also know that it's not a standalone problem. The affordable housing crisis is inextricably linked to the lack of good middle-class jobs. We cannot address one without addressing the other. We cannot solve this crisis on the backs of workers.

It is only going to cause another crisis. It is for those reasons that we stand with our brothers and sisters and siblings in the building trades and ask that you vote no on this bill today. We oppose unless amended. Thank you.

Madam Chair, Members: Jason Rhine, League of California Cities. We are also opposed to this measure.

Good afternoon. My name is Mark Mulliner. I work for the California State Building Trades. We represent half a million construction workers in California, and we oppose this unless amended. Thank you.

Madam Chair and Members: Mario Yedidia, the Western Regional Political Director for UNITE HERE and the hospitality workers are here in solidarity with the building and Construction Trades Council. Opposed unless amended. Thank you.

Good afternoon, Members. Kyler Joaquin here. On behalf of the 200,000-plus members of the California State's Pipe Trade Council, the California State Association of Electrical Workers, the Coalition of California Utility Employees, as well as the Western States Council of Sheet Metal Workers, in opposition to the bill is currently constructed. Thank you.

Hello. My name is Lali Castillo with IBEW Local 11 of Los Angeles, representing almost 12,000 members. We stand in solidarity with the building trades to oppose SB 423 unless amended. Thank you.

Good afternoon, worthy senators. Thank you for all your work that you do for the State of California. I'm Manuel Pinheiro, CEO of Monterey/Santa Cruz Building & Construction Trades Council. We oppose 423 - SB 423 unless it's amended, and we stand right with the state building trades. Thank you.

Good afternoon. Sharon Gonzalez, on behalf of the cities of Bakersfield, Corona, Rancho Cucamonga, and Rancho Palos Verdes, in opposition. Thank you.

My name is Scott Reese. I'm a business agent with Local 393 UA, Santa Clara County, San Bernardino counties. We support the building trades and impose unless amended.

Matt Broad here on behalf of the California Teamsters in the town in paradise, in opposition. Thank you.

Hello, my name is John Hershey with the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 447 in the Sacramento region, and we are opposed unless amended. Thank you.

Good afternoon, Madam Chair. Jason Gonzalez, representing the cities of Elk Grove, Indian Wells, Lakewood, and Rancho Cordova, is in opposition. Thank you.

Good afternoon, Chair and committee members. Johnnie Pina, representing the city of Montebello, in opposition unless amended to impose a sunset of January 1, 2030, and to exempt cities that are in compliance with their housing element. Thank you.

Good afternoon, Carlin Shelby, on behalf of the cities of Tracy, Mission Viejo, La Habra, Laguna Beach, Placentia, and Del Mar, in opposition. Thank you.

Mitchell Bechtel with the District Council of Iron Workers. We stand with the state building trades in opposition unless amended. Thank you.

Ernesto Medrano with the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council, representing 140,000 hardworking men and women, and I stand with the state building trades in opposition to this bill.

Good afternoon. Matt Goody with Local Union 228, Plumbers and Pipefitters in Marysville, California. And we stand with the state building trades and oppose this bill unless amended.

I'm Cameron Robertson. Opposed as well. Local 447, Plumbers and Pipefitters. Thank you.

My name is Jake Bash with Local 447, Plumbers and Pipefitters. And I strongly disagree with SB 423. Thanks.

My name is Bo Fairburn, local Plumbers and Pipefitters, 447, apprentice. We strongly oppose.

Good afternoon, Beverly Yu; on behalf of the State Building Construction Trades Council, I would just like to reiterate the comments made by my colleagues in the primary testimony. We strongly oppose this bill unless amended, as this bill seeks to provide carveouts for market rate and for-profit developers and rolls back labor protections. We look forward to continuing discussions with the author and the sponsors on this bill. Thank you very much.

Good afternoon, senators. My name is Alex Lantsberg, Research and Advocacy Director with the San Francisco Electrical Construction Industry in opposition to 423. I am also a longtime labor standards researcher, and I vehemently oppose the half-truths and misrepresentations in the testimony and support. Thank you.

Good afternoon, chair members of the committee. My name is Joshua Medrano. I am the Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Tricounties Building and Construction Trades Council of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties, representing over 14,000 hard-working, skilled, and trained workers. On behalf of the Tricounties Building and Construction Trades Council, we stand with the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California in opposition unless amended. Intended to be an extension of SB 35 in 2017.

The bill eliminates the existing safety and construction training standards on housing, specifically a requirement that a small percentage of workers on the project be graduates of state-approved apprenticeship programs. The labor protections in SB 35 that were previously negotiated.

Sir, we don't have you as a lead witness right now. We're just taking name, organization, and support or opposition.

Understood. Joshua Madrano, in extreme opposition of this bill.

Thank you. Thank you, sir.

Veronica Godinez, resident of Tracy Summit, mason, proud member of Local 400 out of San Jose. And I'm in opposition of SB 423 unless amended. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. Do we have any other witnesses in opposition to SB 423 here in room 1200? Maybe one more? No? Okay. All right, now we will. Thank you. We'll now move on to witnesses waiting to testify via the teleconference service. We'll be limiting phone testimony to 20 minutes for all bills during this hearing.

Moderator, if you would, please prompt the individuals waiting to testify in support of or opposition. And we will. We begin.

Of course. Ladies and gentlemen, once again, if you are in support or opposition of SB 423, please press 10. You'll hear a tone, and you will be given your - We will first go to line 60. Please. Go ahead.

Good afternoon. Mark Gleason, representing Teamsters Local 665. We stand with the State-Building Trades in opposition to SB 423. Thank you.

Next, we'll be going to line 219. Please go ahead.

Hi, yes, this is Erica Valentine, the Political Director for UA Local 393. We represent 3,100 members, plumbers, pipers team, fitters, and HVACR technicians in Santa Clara, San Benito county. We stand with the building trades in opposition to this bill unless it's amended.

Next, we will go to line 284. Please go ahead.

Is this me?

Yes, this is you. Your line is open.

I'm terribly sorry. Hi, this is Adam Bookbinder from the city of Campbell in the South Bay, representing South Bay MB, proudly supporting SB 423. Thank you.

Next, we'll be going to line 186. Please go ahead.

Childcare, stable housing, waste, theft, and keeping our jobs local.

We ask we focus on responsible construction policy because we have numerous projects that are being proposed or approved without any commitment to use skilled and trained workers. Developers of these projects are putting profits.

Next, we'll go to line 220. Please go ahead.

Excuse me, did you say 220?

Yes, and your line is open.

Yes, my name is Eddie Reyes, Iron Workers Local 377, president and San Francisco resident. I stand with the San Francisco - with the State Building Trades in strong opposition to SB 423. The only ones who are in favor of this are the carpenters, who just disassociated with the state-building trades. Please amend. Thank you.

Next, we're going to line 89. Please go ahead.

Yeah, my name is Jeff Hunerlach with the Humboldt Del Norte Building and Construction Trades. Secretary-treasurer. We stand with the State-Building Trades in opposition of SB 423, unless amended. Thank you.

Next, we'll be going to line 42. Please go ahead.

Good afternoon. Randy Wetmur, Ironworkers Local 416, Los Angeles. We stand strong in opposition with State Building Trades on SB 423. Thank you.

Next, we will be going to line 319. Please go ahead.

Hi, this is Toby Muresianu calling from Los Angeles. On behalf of Westside For Everyone and strong support. Thank you.

Next, we'll be taking line 321. Please go ahead.

Good afternoon; my name is Mina Layba. I'm the legislative affairs manager. On behalf of the city of Thousand Oaks, we stand in respectful opposition. Thank you.

Next, we'll go to line 318. Please go ahead.

Hi, this is Bobby Garrity from Redlands and California YIMBY, calling in strong support of SB 423.

Next, we'll be going to line 291. Please go ahead.

Good. This is Cindy Owens with the city of Beverly Hills, and we are opposed.

Next, we'll be going to line 29 - 265. Please go ahead.

This is Slaughter Bradley with Building Trades of the Inland Empire. As a business manager and Executive secretary, we are strongly opposed to this Bill and enjoy your rest of your day.

Thank you.

Now we will go to line number 267.

Please go ahead.

Chuck Nower, Carpenter's Local 1599, Chester County, California. We are in strong support of SB 234.

Thank you.

We will go to line 246.

Please go ahead.

Hello, my name is Brian Pors. I'm a business agent for UA local 393, representing over 3100 plumbers, pipe fitters, steam fitters and HVACR service technicians in Santa Clara and San Benito counties. Today I'm calling and standing in solidarity with the Building Trades Council and strongly oppose SB 423. Thank you for your time.

Bye bye.

Thank you.

Line number 288. Line 288.

Juan Vaneza Field Representative Norcal, Carpenters Union Member at 217, Foster City, California, in strong support of SB 423. Thank you all for your time.

Thank you.

Line number 294.

Good afternoon. My name is Joel Toscano, field representative of Northbound Carpenters union out of 713, Alameda County, and showing support this Bill.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Line number 310. 310.

Here I am. Hello. My name is Leonard Basoco. I'm a resident of Vallejo, California. I'm a representative at Carpenter's Local 180 covering Solano County, and I strongly support this Bill, SB 423. Thank you.

Thank you.

We will go to line number 47.

Hi my name is Wyatt Stiles, representing over 1000 Members of local 398, plumbers, steam fitters and welders, and we are joining the State Building Trades in opposition of SB 423. Thank you.

Next we will go to line number 325.

Thank you.

Hello. This is Carol Kim. I'm the business manager of the San Diego County Building and Construction Trades Council. I'm also the CEO of the SDBTC Family Housing Corporation, and we are in strong opposition of SD 423 unless amended.

Thank you.

Line number 157.

Thank you.

My name is Tony Sanchez. I'm with the Painters and Allied Trades. I'm a strong opposed of SB 423. Thank you.

Thank you.

Line number 156.

Hi, this is David Safella with the Painters and Allied Trades District Council 36, local 1399. And we're going to be supporting the State Building Trades in opposition. Sorry, opposition of SB 423.

Thank you.

We will go to line number 330.

I stand with the state building trades in opposition of this Bill unless amended. Thank you.

118.

Thank you.

We will now go to line number 226.

Good afternoon, Chair and Members, Eric Turner, on behalf of the town of Apple Valley, respectfully in opposition.

Thank you.

Line number 141.

My name is Tony Sanchez. I'm with the Painter and Allied Trades. I'm a strong opposed of SB 423. Thank you.

Next we will go to line number 155.

Hi, my name is Rachel Shoemake with IBEW 302, representing over 1300 electrical workers in Contra Costa County. We stand in solidarity with the State Building Trades in opposition of SB 423, unless amended. We need to invest in our apprenticeships and promote skilled and trained language which helps protect all construction workers from exploitation.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next we will go to line number 206. Line number 206, your line is open.

Yes, this is Martin Rodriguez, Ironworkers 433. I stand in opposition of this Bill in solidarity with the State Building Trades, unless amended.

Thank you.

Line number 344.

Hi, my name is Raul Maldonado. I am from Oakland, California. Originally from Augusta, California, Central Valley Area. I am personally and also on behalf of ... supporting SB 423. Thank you. And stay safe.

Thank you.

Next we will go to line number 32.

Hi, Allison Schallert in Los Angeles. Single family homeowner representing hundreds of people in support of 423. Please build housing and thanks for all your hard work. Appreciate it.

Thank you.

Line number 125.

Yes, this is James Ashcroft. Ironworkers Local 378 stand with the Building Trades in opposition of SB 423.

Thank you.

Line number 54.

Line number 54, your line is open. Okay, we will move on to the next line 300, please.

Go ahead.

Yeah, my name is Larry Mazzola, business manager, UA Local 38, plumbers and pipe fitters in San Francisco. I'm also the President of the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council. To state that the whole entire Building Trades up and down California strongly opposes ripping strong labor standards out of this Bill. Please oppose.

Thank you.

Next, we will go to line number 34.

Please go ahead.

And line number 34, your line is open.

Hello, this is Mickey Owens, Local 669. Stand with the State Building Trades and oppose 423.

Thank you.

Line number 37, please go ahead. And line number 37, your line is open.

Yes, this is Joseph Clark, Local 669, organizer, and we stand with the State Building Trades and opposed this Bill.

Thank you.

Next we will go to line number 189.

Hi, my name is Paul Bickmore. I volunteer with California YIMBY, calling in strong support.

Thank you.

Line number 99. Line number 99, your line is open. Okay, we will go to the next line of 61.

Please go ahead.

Yes. Can you hear me?

Go ahead.

Yes, this is Jonhenry Lopez with UA local 246, Plumbers and Pipe Fitters, representing Fresno, Madera, Tulare and Kings county. And we stand in solidarity with the State Building Trades in opposition of SB 423, unless amended. Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, we will go to line number 135.

Hi, can you hear me?

We can hear you. Go ahead.

This is Lynette Lee Eng, Council Member with Los Altos, and I'd like to register my opposition to SB 423. I don't think you realize the legal liabilities this imposes on cities. Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, we will go to line number 331.

Hi, this is Isaiah Madison with Livable California in South Los Angeles, in opposition to SB 423. Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, we will go to line number 314.

Please go ahead.

Chris Grizzle, Organizer, UA's largest local 669. We stand in opposition, SB 423. Let's keep it real skilled and trained.

Thank you.

Next, we will go to line number 301.

Please go ahead.

Good afternoon, Madam Vice Chair and Members, Roger Dickinson, on behalf of Civic Well, formerly the Local Government Commission, in support. Thank you

Thank you.

Next, we will go to line number 271.

Hi, this is Rob Nielsen from Peninsula for Everyone, calling in in support of SB 423. Thank you.

Next, we will go to line number 80.

Please go ahead.

Good afternoon. This is Shane Boston, Business Manager of Plumbers and Pipe Fitters, Local 484. And we stand with the State Building Trades in strong opposition to SB 423, unless amended. Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, we will go to line number 276.

Matt Kelly, Carpenters Local 46, calling in strong support of SB 423. Skilled and trained, builds no units of housing. Thank you.

Next, we will go to line number 277.

Thank you.

Yes, hello.

My name is Patricia Ramirez. I'm a carpenter, Local 405, and I'm in strong support of SB 423.

Thank you.

Next, we will go to line number 295.

Good afternoon. Brandon Levenberg, UA Local 246. Plumbers, Pipe Fitters and HVACR Service Tech. I join the State Building Trades in strong opposition of SB 423.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, we will go to line number 304. Line number 304.

Yes, good afternoon. This is Juan Dominguez, Carpenters Local 701, in Fresno. I'm in strong support of SB 423.

Thank you.

Next, we will go to line number 40.

Please go ahead.

Line number 40. Okay, we will move on to the next number of 333.

This is Ryan Meckel with Santa Cruz YIMBY, in strong support of SB 423. Thank you.

Next, we will go to line number 327.

Good afternoon. My name is Jason Pierce. I'm a Member and a Field Rep of Carpenters Local 751 up in Humboldt County. Standing strong support of SB 423. Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, will 345.

Dan Watson, Carpenters Local 1789, in strong support of SB 423.

Line number 273.

Yeah, good afternoon. My name is Steve Harris, Carpenter's local 751. Strong supporter of SB 423.

Thank you.

Next we'll go to line number 320. Line number 320.

Hello.

Go ahead.

My name is Nell Delander. I'm part of the 217 Carpenters Union, San Mateo county, and I'm a strong support of SB 423.

Thank you.

Next we will go to line number 58.

Hi, this is Gorgina Halaifua with IBEW local 595, representing nearly 2500 electrical workers in Alameda County, San Joaquin County, and Calaveras County. And I'm calling in solidarity with the State Building Trades in opposition unless amended to Senate Bill 423.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We will go to line number 311.

Good afternoon. My name is Jesus Vega, the Carpenters Union, Local 505 in Santa Cruz County, and I strongly support SB 423. Thank you.

Thank you.

Next we will go to line number 256.

Hi, my name is Rod Finley. I'm in Local 9109, Drywall Lathers, Sac county. Our apprenticeship program is top notch training, first aid, CPR. And when they walk on the job site, they're proficient in the jobs they're hired for. I'm in support for SB 423.

Thank you.

Next we will go to line number 316.

Hello, my name is Victor Mibelli. I'm a carpenter with Local 751 in Sonoma county. All carpenters up and down, all of California is very much in support of SB 423. Thank you.

Thank you.

Next we will go to line number 167. Line number 167?

Okay, we will move on to line number 19109.

Hi, my name is Sean Kyle with IBEW 595 in Dublin, California. We represent 2500 electrical workers in Alameda, San Joaquin and Calaveras counties. We stand with state building trades in opposition of SB 423. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, we will go to line number 350. Please go ahead. My name is Lisa Danz with Fremont for everyone. And we proudly support SB 423. Thank you. Next we will go to line number 111.

Hi, this is Jason Lindsay with Iron workers local 378. And we stand with the state building and construction trades and oppose unless amended. Thank you.

Thank you. Next we will go to line number 354.

This is Marvin Norman from San Bernardino and strong support of SB 423.

Thank you. Next we will go to line number 296.