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Susan Kirsch
Letter to Governor Newsom: Veto Unsound Housing Policy
The Nix the Nine Campaign plans to submit a letter to Governor Newsom urging him to veto any of the housing bills that make it to his desk for consideration between September 1-30. We are inviting groups and individuals to join as co-signers.
Four of the original nine bills have already been defeated because of their aggressive efforts to increase housing density (AB1279, SB902, SB1385) and for efforts to reduce local control in favor of increased state agency power (AB3040).
The Nix the Nine letter, which will be updated after Monday’s final votes, decries the failure of the legislature to address the need and provide funding for affordable housing, protect the environment, provide for fair fiscal management, and honor local control. Instead the bills hand bonuses to developers with a motivation to build market-rate and luxury housing.
Nix the Nine Campaign Letter to Governor Newsom
September 3, 2020
Dear Governor Newsom:
AB-725, AB-2345, SB-995, SB-1085, and SB-1120 would make it even harder for you to meet your commitment to tackle California’s affordable housing problems and the existential impacts of climate change and COVID-19.
VETO THEM!
Here are five reasons why:
- They fail to increase the supply of affordable housing.
- They ignore climate change by cutting out CEQA protections. As you said at the Democratic National Convention, “Climate change is real. If you are in denial about climate change, come to California.”
- They destroy single-family neighborhoods with “lot splits” that drive up land prices and violate community wishes.
- They stick cities with legal, but unconscionable, unfunded mandates, which will deplete cities’ treasuries.The League of CA Cities estimates a $7 billion revenue shortfall over the next two years.
- They give developers bonuses but take away local control.
THERE IS A BETTER WAY!
Governor Newsom, once you’ve deep-sixed these short-sighted bills, you can count on us to work with you on a plan that spells out a vision for housing policy based on reliable data, social equity, and transparent processes that fully engage a broad range of women and men on the front lines of good government.
Sincerely, Susan Kirsch, Chair, Nix-the-Nine Campaign
We are inviting GROUPS and INDIVIDUALS to join as co-signers.
- GROUPS: Send 1) the name of your group, 2) the person authorized to sign, 3) city and county, and 4) number of people you represent; such as city population if you’re an elected official or estimated number of members or participants. Send to to Susan@SusanKirsch.com.
- In addition, we encourage all groups to send their own letter to the Governor. This is not a "one-and-done" effort, but a call for multiple efforts.
Letters are limited to 6,000 characters and can be submitted to https://govapps.gov.ca.gov/gov40mail Use the pull-down menu to select "Fair Employment and Housing." - INDIVIDUALS: Sign the Change.Org petition by going to change.org/nix-the-nine or click here.
- After you sign, forward the Change.org petition and/or forward this article to others throughout the state.
You’ll be in rich and diverse company joining groups such as the Bay Area Transportation Group, Better Cupertino, EMF Safety Network, Los Altos Residents, Marin Against Density, Palo Altans for Sensible Zoning, and West Bay Citizens Coalition, among others.
The legislators, too often working on behalf of corporate developers, housing speculators and investors, relentlessly push to reduce local control in order to build higher and denser structures, which maximize profits. This practice drives up land values, putting affordable housing further out of reach.
Every year residents--renters and owners alike--neighborhood, tenant, and homeowner groups, fight back. They nurture a vision of fair economic policy that promotes owner-occupied homes with backyards and parks in proximity to good schools; homes as a means of building economic equity, and communities with resilience, heart and hope for all people at all income-levels.
Join us and co-sign the letter asking for the Governor’s veto. Act on the goal to Nix the Nine!