March 23, 2018
Senator Scott Wiener
Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: SB 827 (Wiener) Planning and Zoning: Transit-Rich Housing Bonus – CONCEPTUAL
SUPPORT

Dear Senator Wiener:
On behalf of Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Climate Resolve, and Environment
California, we are writing to support the goals of your bill, SB 827, and join you in seeking
transformative policies to address California’s housing crisis head-on.
The shortage of affordable housing in California is decades in the making. A failure to maximize
transit opportunities, and to allow adequate housing -- including affordable housing -- near those
transportation centers, has contributed to displacement, longer commutes, more vehicle miles
traveled, increased greenhouse gas emissions, loss of open space, and worsening urban sprawl. In
this context, housing development near public transportation can be a key element in achieving
California’s climate goals, by offering more people the opportunity to use transit for their daily
trips.
SB 827 represents the scale of action necessary to meaningfully address the affordable housing and
environmental crises. At the same time, many stakeholders have raised concerns that this approach
could lead to further gentrification and displacement, and these concerns must be addressed. We
appreciate your recent efforts to amend the bill to affirm that local inclusionary affordable housing
ordinances would still apply to projects under SB 827, ban demolition of rent-controlled housing
units, and ensure a right-to-remain guarantee. We agree that positive local steps to generate
affordable housing, like the Transit Oriented Communities Guidelines in Los Angeles, should be a
policy model to elevate rather than supersede.
As the bill moves through the legislative process, we look forward to working with you to ensure
that the bill: (1) does not undermine local anti-displacement policies and programs, such as the no
net loss policy under Measure JJJ, and (2) seeks a way to capture and leverage some of the value
that is created by enhanced zoning around transit stations to create housing that is affordable to
Californians of all incomes.
We commend your leadership in tackling the complicated issues that have led to today’s housing
crisis in California. We look forward to working with you to improve housing opportunities for

 everyone in a way that actively enhances the environmental quality of our state and the wellbeing
of its residents.
Sincerely,

Amanda Eaken
Director of Transportation and Climate
Natural Resources Defense Council

Ann Notthoff
Western Advocacy Director
Natural Resources Defense Council

Bryn Lindblad
Associate Director
Climate Resolve

Dan Jacobson
State Director
Environment California