The Legislature sent to the Governor two bills to let courts impose attorney fees on localities that violate state housing laws. AB 1227 (Torrico) would add an attorney fee provision to the state’s zoning discrimination law, and AB 712 (Canciamilla) would extend by 2 years an attorney fee sunset in the state’s no-netloss-of-zoning density law. The Governor has until October 9th to act on the measures.

Housing advocates struggled this week to resuscitate SB 51 (Kuehl), extension of sunset for 60-day notice to terminate a tenancy, but at the end remained 2 votes short.

Assembly Housing heard and passed SB 1026 (Kuehl), nearly identical to AB 1162 (Mullin), both of which call for a 2-year moratorium and study of eminent domain. Neither bill will move this session, but a redevelopment working group will be convened this fall to tackle redevelopment concerns raised these past 2 months since Kelo, and is expected to propose significant changes.

Governor Vetoes Prevailing Wage Posting Bill

Governor Schwarzenegger this week vetoed SB 940 (Torlakson), which would have required the Department of Industrial Relations to post residential prevailing wage rates on their website like they do for commercial wage rates. The bill also included funding to achieve the job. His reason for doing it was that DIR does not have all of the information it needs to set residential rates. This, in spite of the fact, that the State Building Trades Council had committed to the affordable housing community and the Department to help get the data.

Local Katrina Relief Efforts

The flow of evacuees from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama has slowed for the time-being.  Many are waiting to here exactly what aid is available and others do not want to leave the immediate area.  In the meantime, the public housing agencies in the Country are preparing systems to accept evacuees that section 8 vouchers prior to the hurricane and settle them here. Catholic Charities is setting up a system to try to coordinate finding homes for the evacuees that are coming here. The Federation will be working with Catholic Charities to provide whatever assistance we can.