Public Comment
Tell Council to Oppose SB 9 June 15
On June 15, the City Council will discuss a recommendation from councilmembers Harrison and Wengraf to send a letter to state representatives opposing SB-9 as currently written.
Please send an e-mail supporting this recommendation and opposing SB 9 to the Council at: council@cityofberkeley.info
SB 9 would allow speculators to buy up single family homes, demolish them and replace them with up to 6 market rate units. While SB 9’s upzoning of single family zoned property would greatly increase the value of the property, there is no requirement that any of the units replacing the demolished home be affordable. Some cities like Cambridge Mass allow greater density if the developer builds affordable units on a site. But SB 9 gives away density while bringing no benefit to the community; just more units that only people with high incomes can afford.
SB 9 also lacks adequate tenant protections. Some older single family homes are being rented. If a speculator can get rid of the tenants, he only has to wait three years to develop the property and he can develop six units with no public input; projects would be approved ministerially by city staff. Parcels as small as 2400 sq ft can be split with two units on each, all of them market rate. In addition, an ADU and Junior ADU can also be built for a total of six units.
SB 9 targets backyards; cities would not be able to require a rear setback greater than four feet. Rear setbacks (i.e. backyards) often have trees, tree canopy, gardens, and greenery and provide play space for children. This will be lost when developers take advantage of SB-9 to maximize their profits by filling as much of two lots as possible with market rate units. Trees can play a significant role in addressing climate change and their removal should not be encouraged by poorly thought out speculator-friendly legislation.
SB 9 will result in more displacement. One neighborhood that is likely to affected is the San Pablo Park neighborhood (between San Pablo and Sacramento between Dwight and Ashby) which has been zoned single-family residential since 1963. Homes here are expensive as they are everywhere in the area, but not as expensive as in most other parts of the city. The lots here and the homes on them tend to be smaller than in other parts of the city. They will be less expensive to acquire by speculators than housing elsewhere in the city. There will be money to be made by demolishing them and replacing them with up to six market rate units, none of which need to be affordable to the many low income people currently living in South Berkeley.
When you e-mail the Council in opposition, take a minute to also e-mail the Governor and your state reps.
For more information and more reasons to oppose SB 9, with links for contacting elected officials: https://www.
