Law Seeks To Bypass Environmental Reviews For Homeless Housing

LOS ANGELES, CA — Two Los Angeles City Council members introduced a resolution Tuesday supporting proposed legislation that would forego the environmental review process for emergency homeless shelters and housing projects in hopes of expediting the developments.

Councilmen David Ryu and Mitch O'Farrell introduced the resolution in support of Assembly Bill 1197, which would exempt supportive housing projects from California Environmental Quality Act reviews.

"Los Angeles voters overwhelmingly supported Proposition HHH to build housing and bring those experiencing homelessness inside. But HHH-funded housing is not being built fast enough," Ryu said. "Instead, much of it is getting bogged down by lawsuits that have nothing to do with the environment and everything to do with people's personal opposition to homeless housing. CEQA is an important law to protect our environment, not a tool to stymie housing for the less fortunate."

Proposition HHH is a $1.2 billion bond measure that was approved by Los Angeles voters in 2016.

"We need emergency housing in Los Angeles and we need it now," said Assemblyman Miguel Santiago, D-Los Angeles, who introduced the bill. "We cannot allow delays to continue blocking life-saving units of housing as Californians struggle to survive on our streets."

The resolution will first be considered by the City Council's Rules, Elections and Intergovernmental Relations Committee before moving to the full council.

Former Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation in September that exempts certain supportive housing projects from CEQA analysis, but not emergency shelters or similar projects.

City News Service