California’s Senate Bill 750 Aims to Tackle Affordable Housing Crisis

News Summary

California is introducing Senate Bill 750 to amend the state constitution and use its credit to support affordable housing construction. By addressing longstanding financial barriers, this legislation aims to revive stalled projects and alleviate the housing crisis, currently affecting over 500,000 ready-to-build units. With significant challenges in the current housing market, including high borrowing costs and a decline in new housing starts, the bill seeks to provide guaranteed loans to developers. This initiative could transform vacant office spaces into residential units, promoting both housing development and economic growth.

California’s Senate Bill 750 Aims to Tackle Affordable Housing Crisis

California is on the brink of potentially transformative changes in its approach to affordable housing as lawmakers introduce Senate Bill 750, a pivotal piece of legislation poised to amend the state constitution. This amendment would allow the state to use its own credit to back loans for housing construction. For the first time in history, the state aims to address a significant barrier that has hindered the construction of affordable housing for years.

The California Constitution has long restricted the state from using its credit to support housing projects, placing California at a disadvantage compared to other states like New York and the federal government when it comes to promoting housing development. Consequently, the state has fallen behind in combating its escalating housing crisis, which has amassed over 500,000 affordable housing units that are ready to be built but currently stuck due to financial limitations and complex systems.

Challenges in the Housing Market

Current financial bottlenecks, characterized by increasing borrowing costs and complicated financing processes, have contributed to a significant slowdown in housing projects across the state. High interest rates further exacerbate this issue, dissuading developers from moving forward with new projects. In the first quarter of 2025, Los Angeles experienced a striking 57% drop in permit issuances for new housing compared to the previous year. Statewide, new housing starts decreased by 17% during this same timeframe.

With approximately 44% of California households being renters, the implications of this stagnation are severe. Renters, especially in urban centers like Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, and San Francisco, are increasingly classified as “cost-burdened,” as many spend upwards of 50% of their income on rent.

Potential Solutions with Senate Bill 750

The proposed Senate Bill 750 seeks to provide a remedy by allowing developers to secure guaranteed loans and municipal bonds—facilitating the revival of these stalled affordable housing projects. The proposal is modeled after the Health Facility Construction Loan Insurance Program established in the 1970s, which proved effective in supporting developments for healthcare facilities. This prior program has guaranteed $9 billion in loans and bonds, thriving without imposing direct costs on taxpayers.

Addressing the Commercial Space Crisis

As California wrestles with an affordable housing shortage, business stakeholders are advocating for the conversion of underused office spaces into residential housing, particularly in downtown Los Angeles where high office vacancy rates prevail. A troubling report by BAE Urban Economics indicates that the devaluation of downtown office buildings could lead to significant losses in property tax revenue.

Converting just 10 key office buildings to residential use could generate an estimated $46 million in tax revenue and create over 3,800 residential units. Despite the challenges posed by current market conditions, downtown Los Angeles still boasts an attractive occupancy rate of around 90% for apartments, suggesting strong demand for residential living in the area.

Future Developments and City Initiatives

Plans to introduce financial incentives for developers to convert older office buildings into residential properties are currently under discussion among city officials, aiming to bolster production levels of new housing. Proposed changes to building codes would aim to simplify the conversion process for office spaces constructed after 1975, encouraging quicker and more efficient transitions to residential use.

As California navigates its ongoing housing crisis, Senate Bill 750 represents a significant step towards reforming the housing development landscape. By unlocking vital financial resources and simplifying bureaucratic processes, the state may finally have the tools necessary to address the pressing need for affordable housing in a time of great urgency.

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Additional Resources

• Los Angeles Times: Converting Downtown Offices to Housing
• Wikipedia: Housing in California
• Sacramento Bee: Opinion on Housing Crisis
• Google Search: California Housing Crisis
• Courthouse News: Reforms to Environmental Law and Housing
• Google Scholar: California Housing Crisis Solutions
• Newsweek: California’s Housing Crisis
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Housing Crisis
• San Francisco Chronicle: Housing Crisis Opinion
• Google News: California Housing