Sen. Scott Wiener

Why Equity Groups Opposed California Legislation to Increase Housing Production
YIMBYs don't understand poverty, claimed one social justice group. Few, if any, connections with equity groups and too many with tech companies may have helped doom SB 827's chances of making it to first base in the legislature this year.

Four Interest Groups Contributed to the California Transit-Housing Bill's Defeat
Two journalists discuss what led to the defeat of the SB 827, the controversial bill which garnered national attention and lots of in-state opposition from groups that one would think would support the effort to address the state's housing crisis.

California's 'Aggressive' Housing Bill Dies Quickly, Not Quietly, in Committee
SB 827, the controversial housing bill proposed by State Senator Scott Wiener, had a very brief run in the California State Legislature.
Legislation Would Ensure California Housing Construction Keeps Pace with Population Growth
A companion bill to the controversial SB 827, also introduced Sen. Scott Wiener (D-S.F)., could have a similar impact on housing production but hasn't gathered nearly as much attention. SB 828 makes critical changes to the state's housing supply law.

More National Attention Focused on Controversial California Housing Bill
Conor Dougherty, a Bay Area-based New York Times economics reporter, and Brad Plumer, a Times climate reporter, team-up to tackle the controversy surrounding SB 827 that has hit a raw nerve with groups that purport to support the bill's goals.
California's First Use of 2017 'By-Right' Housing Law
A Berkeley parking lot is the site of the state's first implementation of a controversial landmark law that allows eligible developments with affordable housing to bypass the normal channels for approval if they conform to local zoning laws.

Bill Introduced to Allow California Cities to Pursue Congestion Pricing
Four cities could charge tolls for drivers to enter congested parts of their cities if an assembly bill introduced by Richard Bloom last month becomes law.

L.A.'s Mayor Garcetti Sides With Single-Family Housing Near Transit
Politicians are taking positions on a controversial California housing bill to densify by transit. Even after amendments were accepted on March 1 in response to concerns about displacement and demolitions, the mayor of Los Angeles remains opposed.

Amendments Proposed for California's Landmark Pro-Housing Development Legislation
Amendments are circulating for one of the most-closely watched, and passionately debated, pieces of housing legislation in the country.

San Francisco's Outer Neighborhoods Fear Change from Housing Bill
Legislation from a former supervisor could transform much of San Francisco, particularly the outer-neighborhoods, by increasing heights and density along transit corridors. Opposition is growing.

Most California Cities Now Subject to State-Mandated Development Streamlining
Given that 97 percent of California cities aren't meeting their housing targets, SB 35, last year's landmark "by-right" housing bill, now applies to projects that contain varying amounts of affordable units.

Berkeley Mayor Condemns Legislation to Increase Housing Density by Transit
Mayor Jesse Arreguín's charges about permissible heights, demolition of rent-controlled housing and displacement that would result from Senate Bill 827 by Sen. Wiener are refuted in the Berkeleyside article, though the latter two have resonance.

It's the Tech Industry vs. the Sierra Club in California's Big Housing Debate
California State Senator Scott Wiener made a big splash this month by announcing a package of pro-development bills, and now interest groups are taking sides in a heated debate over housing and density.

Mapping All the Transit Corridors Targeted for Upzoning Under California's SB 827
SB 827, announced last week by California State Senator Scott Wiener, would revoke density maximums, parking minimums, and set permissive height limits along transit corridors all over the state.

Aggressive New 'Housing-First Policy' Proposed in California State Legislature
California State Senator Scott Wiener has established himself as one of the most ardent supporters of pro-housing policy in the state. His announcement this morning continued the theme.

California to Explore Next Steps in Converting From Gas Tax to Road Charge
A summary report of California's 9-month pilot program to test the use of a mileage charge to replace the gas tax to fund road infrastructure has been released. Next steps include exploring available technology to implement the road charge.

How Overly Restrictive Land Use Regulations Hurt the Nation's Economy
Two economics professors from the University of Chicago and the University of California, Berkeley argue that the housing crisis doesn't just affect booming coastal cities. It's a national problem.

Two Housing Bills Will Exacerbate California's Housing Shortage
SB 35 (Wiener) and AB 199 (Chu) make it more costly to build housing by requiring prevailing wages where applicable, pleasing construction unions but making affordable housing less affordable, opines CALmatters political columnist, Dan Walters.

California's Housing Bills Fall Short
Three bills at the top of the Democratic leadership's housing agenda will have little impact on the state's chronic housing shortage according to multiple analyses, and wouldn't affect the outcome of a Bay Area mega-development controversy.
Caltrain Electrification Broke Ground on Friday
Gov. Jerry Brown, Peninsula congresswomen, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and state legislative leaders gathered in Millbrae with shovels-in hands to mark the beginning of a four-year construction project to electrify Caltrain.
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