News: So you want to pass a housing bill

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

So you want to pass a housing bill

Mar 22, 2023

By Lara Korte, Jeremy B. White, Matthew Brown and Ramon Castanos

Presented by Elected Officials to Protect America - Code Blue

THE BUZZ: Last year’s labor fights are bubbling back up again in Sacramento.

Two hotly contested housing bills by Sen. Scott Wiener got their first hearings Tuesday, opening up familiar arguments about labor protections and the urgent need to construct affordable housing in California.

At issue are worker protections that groups like the formidable State Building and Construction Trades Council insist upon, particularly, the requirement that certain new housing projects be built by trained and skilled workers. The group has been known to torpedo housing legislation in the past over inadequate protections, but last year lawmakers reached a rare deal involving a dual-bill solution.

Senate Bill 423 by Wiener would make permanent a 2017 law meant to cut through red tape around construction projects in cities and counties that aren’t meeting state housing plan requirements. But it would do so without the “trained and skilled” requirement for workers. Instead, it would require employees to be paid a prevailing wage based on their field and location, in addition to requiring health care on larger projects.

That has the resounding support of those like the carpenters’ unions and various YIMBY groups, who say the prevailing wage and health care requirements are preferable to strict labor rules that can slow down much-needed construction. But opponents say it will hurt workers and create unsafe structures.

“We oppose this as a matter of principle,” said Sara Flocks, legislative and strategic campaigns director for the California Labor Federation, which is standing with the Trades in opposition. “It is unacceptable to strip labor protections and labor standards from any worker in the state of California.”

Similar arguments were at the heart of Wiener’s other bill, Senate Bill 4, which would streamline housing construction on property owned by religious organizations and institutions of higher education.

Both bills passed the Senate housing committee, but there is much left to be settled. Many members, including the author, expressed a desire for compromise. But Wiener expressed frustration at the opponents’ reluctance to negotiate, saying “it takes two to tango.”

Sen. Anna Caballero was among those who said she wants to see the disagreement resolved.

“I want to hope that there’s a sweet spot where we can get to ‘yes,’” she said. “I don’t want to be killing housing bills because we can’t agree on things.”

HAPPENING TONIGHT — You've seen us in your inboxes, now come see us at a bar! Join Jeremy, Lara and the rest of the POLITICO California team on Wednesday at Smic's in downtown Sacramento. Grab a drink and get to know the crew. Cocktails and conversations start flowing at 6 p.m. RSVP here.

BUENOS DÍAS, good Wednesday morning. Today’s a big day for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s oil penalty bill. Members of the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee, chaired by Sen. Steven Bradford, are set to convene at 1:30 p.m. to vote on Senate Bill 2. ICYMI: the reworked measure now kicks enforcement responsibilities to the state Energy Commission and has the backing of Legislative leaders.

Oh, and former President Donald Trump could be indicted today in Manhattan. More on that here.

Got a tip or story idea for California Playbook? Hit us up at jwhite@politico.com and lkorte@politico.com or follow us on Twitter @JeremyBWhite and @Lara_Korte.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I am not here for the bullshit. I am here to build housing.” Assemblymember Tina McKinnor standing alongside members of the Southwest Mountain States Carpenters on Tuesday.

TWEET OF THE DAY:

MikeIsaac

WHERE’S GAVIN? Nothing official announced.

A message from Elected Officials to Protect America - Code Blue:

Five oil refiners produce nearly all of California’s gasoline. In 2022, refiners used their market dominance to set high gasoline prices, making excessive profits while Californians struggled to make ends meet. Californians paid $2.61/gallon more than the national average while refiners tripled their yearly profits. Vote yes on SBX1-2 to hold Big Oil accountable by creating transparency and oversight of oil markets while authorizing the CEC to impose a price gouging penalty.

TOP TALKERS

— “Massive strike shutters LAUSD as a sea of workers seeking higher wages rallies downtown,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Grace Toohey, Andrew J. Campa, Brennon Dixson, Howard Blume, Hailey Branson-Potts, Sonja Sharp and Brittny Mejia: “The strike culminated a months-long build-up of labor tensions in the nation’s second largest school district. Bus drivers, custodians, special education assistants, cafeteria workers — all members of Local 99 of the Service Employees International Union — have been negotiating with the district, demanding a 30 percent salary increase, plus $2 more per hour for the lowest paid employees.”

— Staying out of the fight: L.A.’s new mayor avoids public role in school strike, by POLITICO’s Alexander Nieves: As tens of thousands of Los Angeles teachers and school workers prepared to walk off the job, Mayor Karen Bass was nearly 400 miles away at the state Capitol accepting an award.

HAPPENING TONIGHT! PLAYBOOK MEET & GREET: Join California Playbook and POLITICO’s growing team in Sacramento at Smic’s Sip & Quip tonight, March 22, 2023, for an evening of cocktails and conversation. As POLITICO expands in California, we want to more frequently convene our most influential readers in Sacramento and beyond. Swing by and have a cocktail on us—you never know who you might run into! Register here.

CAMPAIGN MODE

MIDDLETON MARCH — Democratic Palm Springs City Councilmember Lisa Middleton is launching a challenge to Republican state Sen. Rosilice Ochoa Bogh in SD-19. Middleton would be Sacramento’s first transgender lawmaker. She enters the race with endorsements from former Sen. Barbara Boxer, Lt. Gov Eleni Kounalakis, Controller Malia Cohen and Equality California. The D+1.9 19th Senate District spans San Bernardino and Riverside and is now slightly more Democratic than the seat Bogh won in 2020.

A message from Elected Officials to Protect America - Code Blue:

CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR

— “Amid soaking storms, California turns to farmland to funnel water into depleted aquifers,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Ian James: “As storms have drenched Northern California, water diverted from the swollen Sacramento River has been flowing from a canal and pouring onto 200 acres of farmland. For more than a month, the water has spread across fields, forming shallow pools, then percolating slowly into the earth.”

— “Los Angeles police accidentally release photos of undercover officers to watchdog website,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Libor Jany and Richard Winton: “The controversy began late last week when the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition launched a searchable online database — called Watch the Watchers — of more than 9,300 city police officers’ photos, complete with their names, ethnicity, rank, date of hire, division/bureau and badge numbers. The group called the site the first of its kind in the country.”

— “Another California gun law has been blocked in court,” by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Bob Egelko: “These regulations are having a devastating impact on Californians’ ability to acquire and use new, state-of-the-art handguns,” U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney of Santa Ana said in a ruling ordering the state to halt enforcement of the law. Attorney General Rob Bonta, who is defending the law in court, said Carney agreed to delay his injunction for 14 days to give the state time to appeal and request a further stay from a federal appeals court.”

GOING FOR GOLD — “Poll: Is L.A. ready for the 2028 Olympics? Some residents express concern,” by the Los Angeles Times’ David Wharton: “Fifty-seven percent of Angelenos believe the Games will be good for L.A., according to a Suffolk University/Los Angeles Times poll conducted March 9-12. Twenty percent worry that hosting will have a negative impact on the city.”

— “Police in L.A., N.Y. and beyond brace for protests if Trump indicted,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Richard Winton: “In Los Angeles, the LAPD and federal authorities are preparing for a protest Tuesday evening by various groups supporting the former president outside the federal building in Westwood.”

— “'Makes absolutely no sense': S.F. supervisors question evictions from supportive housing,” by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Joaquin Palomino and Trisha Thadani: “The Board of Supervisors committee hearing, called for after a Chronicle investigation exposed the revolving door back to the streets, heard frustrations from city leaders and formerly homeless people alike on the practice of evicting people who fall behind on rent, while failing to provide a safety net for those who are forced to leave.”

— “Are kids collateral damage in California culture wars?” by EdSource’s Diana Lambert: “Black students are more often the target of racial hostility than any other group of students, according to “Educating for a Diverse Democracy in California,” a joint report by the UCLA Institute for Democracy, Education and Access and the Civic Engagement Research Group at UC Riverside. As part of the study, the researchers surveyed 150 California principals about how the political dynamics of communities have impacted schools.”

— “Truck driver in standoff at Sacramento courthouse ordered released from jail,” by The Sacramento Bee’s Sam Stanton: “U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah Barnes agreed to the release of Patrick Blackshire despite opposition from Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee, who cited Blackshire’s “significant criminal history,” a lack of stable housing and questions about his mental health.”

— “A boom for concealed carry classes, but long waits for permits,” by CalMatters’ Ben Christopher: “For two decades across four Bay Area counties, Showket has been schooling retired law enforcement officers, mall cops and the rare civilian allowed under local ordinances to carry a concealed handgun. The courses include live fire training; deep discussions about the legal, ethical and psychological consequences of taking a life in self-defense; and practical concerns, such as what to do if you have to pee while armed. (Answer: Skip the urinal and ‘wait for a stall.’)”

DOWNLOAD THE POLITICO MOBILE APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. The sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don’t miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. DOWNLOAD FOR iOS– DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID.

BIDEN, HARRIS AND THE HILL

— “Biden weighs in on the battle for the soul of Wall Street. Here’s how the president’s first veto will shape the way Americans’ money is managed,” by Fortune’s David Atkin: “The concept of responsible investment has evolved into a mainstay of finance–and with good reason. As Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently warned, the effects of climate change, natural disasters, and warming temperatures will cause a decline in asset values that could have a cascading effect on the global financial system.”

CANNABIS COUNTRY — The growing Chinese investment in illegal American weed, by POLITICO’s Natalie Fertig: Mexican cartels have a long history of importing, growing and redistributing illicit cannabis in the United States. But Chinese investors, owners and workers have emerged in recent years as a new source of funding and labor for illegal marijuana production.

A message from Elected Officials to Protect America - Code Blue:

California lawmakers must protect families from Big Oil’s greed. SBX1-2 will hold Big Oil refiners accountable by mandating transparency and oversight of oil markets while authorizing the California Energy Commission to impose civil penalties on refiners who have engaged in price gouging.. Chevron, Marathon, Phillips 66, Valero and PBF Energy produce 98% of the gasoline consumed in California and in 2022, they used their market dominance to nearly triple their yearly profits by hiking up the price of gas. Last year, California families struggled to make ends meet as they were charged $2.61/gallon more than the national average. SBX1-2 will establish a new independent watchdog to deter Big Oil from ripping off Californians, while improving transparency in the oil industry so the state can root out the causes of pricing irregularities. Learn more

MIXTAPE

— “Biden establishes vast new national monument near Nevada-California border, honoring tribes,” by The Mercury News’ Paul Rogers.

— “Will San Jose take a harder stance on homeless encampments?” by The East Bay Times’ Gabriel Greschler.

— “Retired drivers reveal origins of 'free Muni for all',” by Mission Local’s Christina A. Macintosh.

TRANSITIONS

— Stephanie Roberson, former director of government relations for the single-payer-proponent California Nurses Association, will now lobby for the California Medical Association, historically an opponent of single-payer.

BIRTHDAYS

Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) … Peter Lezama … Nick Bailey

CALIFORNIA POLICY IS ALWAYS CHANGING: Know your next move. From Sacramento to Silicon Valley, POLITICO California Pro provides policy professionals with the in-depth reporting and tools they need to get ahead of policy trends and political developments shaping the Golden State. To learn more about the exclusive insight and analysis this subscriber-only service offers, click here.

Want to make an impact? POLITICO California has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Golden State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness amongst this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.

Follow us on Twitter