SB 9 Los Angeles or HOME (Housing Opportunity and More Efficiency) Act is a law that focuses on increasing the housing supply across the state. Moreover, this senate bill aims to promote a lot of positive changes in the housing scene of California. After all, the regulations make it easier to build more housing units on a single-family lot. But this is not all! The law also has to face several hurdles along the way to its implementation. Want to know more about it? If so, you have to keep reading the blog…
SB 9 Los Angeles, and Everything You Need to Know About It!
SB 9 allows homeowners to split their single-family unit and build four separate housing units on it. has great importance in the progress of housing development in Los Angeles, California. You should know that this bill is the result of years of government efforts to address the housing crisis in the state. Moreover, it brings so many progressive opportunities for homeowners, investors, and tenants. After all, it put off many restrictions from investing and developing housing units.
Did You Know? The Senate Bill 9 or Home Act was passed by Governor Newsom on September 16, 2021, and it took effect on January 1, 2022. |
You can always consult a professional like Evely Baez for advice on SB 9 housing projects. Anyways, let’s talk about the provisions of SB 9 Los Angeles, and how it is influencing the housing and zoning scene in California. We’ll also talk about the limitations it faced and how the authorities held up with them.
Key Provisions of Senate Bill 9
1. Additional housing units
2. Compliance with the Zoning Codes
3. Eviction of Tenants
Important!
The Positive Impact of SB 9 Los Angeles
1. More Housing Options
The major goal behind SB 9 was to increase the housing opportunities in Los Angeles and the regions where its implementation took place. You should know that California has been in a housing crisis for quite a long time. However, following the bill smartly has helped with this big time. After all, it lets homeowners replace their single-family unit with a four-unit housing property. This way they can either accommodate:
- Their extended family
- Tenants for rental income
“The main goal of SB 9 is to promote housing with equity, inclusivity, and affordability.” – The California H.O.M.E. Act
2. Improved Property Value
3. Source of Rental Income
Challenges and Limitations of SB 9
Undoubtedly, Senate Bill 9 came with a lot of benefits for homeowners, developers, and tenants. However, it also faced challenges and limitations throughout the way. As a result, this made the implementation of the bill difficult. To resolve these issues, another bill, SB 450, was passed too. Anyway, here are the challenges of SB 9 Los Angeles:
Financial Costs
It’s a great thing that you can now build more units instead of settling for a single-family unit. But is it really? Well, you should know that there can be several financial challenges along the way. These may include:
- Fluctuating property value
- High construction costs
- Limited financing opportunities
Considering these, many homeowners may hesitate to follow the law. After all, there can be more financial risk than benefit.
Zoning Regulations
Construction Challenges
Does My Property Qualify for SB 9?
Your property/housing unit has to tick off a certain set of requirements to qualify for the SB 9, California. Not being compliant with even any one of these will result in disqualification. These include:
- The property must be in an urban area or cluster (US Census Bureau)
- The property must be used for single-family housing
- The area of property should be at least 2,400 sq ft
- No evictions in the last 15 years
- Should not be located in a historic district
- Should not be in an environmentally protected zone
- The split shouldn’t disrupt existing affordable housing
