Governor Newsom signs bill ending single-family zoning in California
On September 16, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 9, aimed at streamlining housing approval and loosening zoning restrictions in an effort to spur housing construction in California.
SB9, by Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, will have a significant impact on lots with single-family zoning. SB 9 now allows for;
- A property owner to add a second unit on a parcel zoned for single-family in the form of a duplex.
- A property owner to subdivide a single-family lot into two lots of equal size, so potentially four units could be built on a single-family lot where one now stands.
An application to do either or both must be approved by local governments, provided the project meets certain requirements.
The state’s objective is to unlock land for development. The Department of Housing and Community Development estimates that 65% of zoning in California is single-family. The state is focused on solving the housing crisis by creating density infill, spurring housing development, and driving down home prices to create affordability.
To read the bill, go to the California State Legislative information page and search under bill number SB9 https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billSearchClient.xhtml
For more information, contact Deputy Town Manager Diane Friedmann at dfriedmann@danville.ca.gov.