HILLS 2000

FRIENDS OF THE HILLS

“Los Altos Hills is God’s Little Acre. . .” — Wallace Stegner

Senator Scott Wiener, Chair

Senate Housing Committee
Via Legislative Portal April 21, 2022

RE: SB 930: Housing Accountability Act: Opposed

Dear Senate Housing Committee:

What is the bill about? Current law prohibits a local agency from disapproving a
housing development project for very low, low, or moderate-income households
or from conditioning approval in a manner that renders the housing development
project infeasible for very low, low, or moderate-income households, unless it
makes specified written findings that either (1) the jurisdiction has met its share of
the regional housing need or (2) the project would have a specific, adverse impact
BOARD OF DIRECTORS upon the public health or safety, and there is no feasible method to satisfactorily
2021-2022
mitigate or avoid the specific adverse impact. This bill would clarify that the above-
described prohibitions also apply to a housing development project for extremely
Jitze Couperus low-income households.
President

Duffy Price What is the impact? This bill will continue to erode trust between legislators and
Secretary constituents because it is based on faulty assumptions, methodology, and RHNA
numbers. Over the past 40 years of variations on the Housing Accountability Act,
Indu Kadambi affordable housing has diminished while rents and homelessness have increased.
Treasurer

Ann Duwe What’s the problem with more tinkering with the Housing Accountability Act?
The problem with this bill is that legislators are ignoring the findings of the State
Carol Gottlieb
Audit Committee re: the shortcomings of the RHNA methodology. Acting state au-
Dot Schreiner ditor Michael Tilden wrote, “Overall, our audit determined that the HCD does not
ensure that its needs assessments are accurate and adequately supported.” Until
Ginger Summit replicated, the RHNA numbers are unreliable, invalid, and unenforceable. The Em-
barcadero Institute has demonstrates that HCD double-counted the RHNA num-
John Harpootlian
bers, which explains why the majority of your constituents say the numbers are
Scott Vanderlip unrealistic. Establishing long-term housing policy on disputed methodology is
equivalent to building housing on sand. We urge you to abandon this bill and focus
on the priority of planning with accurate numbers.
We welcome the chance to work together to attain affordable housing, preserve
stable communities, and protect the environment.
Sincerely,

Jitze Couperus
Box 31
Los Altos, CA 94023
Jitze Couperus, President
Tel. 650-941-4808 Hills 2000 — Friends of the Hills
Couperus@gmail.com Mobile: 1-415-350-3913

www.hills2000.org