League of California Cities’ Response to Governor Newsom’s State of the State Address

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kayla Woods, Office: (916) 658-8213 
Cell: (530) 844-1744

Sacramento – Today, the League of California Cities® issued the following statement in response to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s State of the State address. The following statement can be attributed to Carolyn Coleman, executive director of the League of California Cities.

“We applaud Governor Newsom’s comprehensive approach to tackle California’s housing supply and affordability crisis, as well as the crisis of homelessness.

“The Governor’s commitment to provide significant resources for emergency shelters and integrated services for the homeless will help local governments struggling to address the significant homelessness emergency in our communities.

“As for housing supply, local officials and cities understand we have a significant role to play in the planning, zoning and approving of new housing. The League of California Cities supports a comprehensive ‘Blueprint for More Housing’ that includes a mix of funding and policies to increase supply and reduce barriers to housing.

“Although cities do not build homes, it is reasonable to expect cities to do their part by planning, zoning and approving housing projects that are consistent with adopted plans, and to minimize delays, costs and barriers to construction. At the same time, it is not reasonable to penalize cities that are meeting their responsibilities to plan for and approve housing, but where builders decide not to build.

“We appreciate the Governor’s commitment to meet with cities to discuss how we can be partners in meeting our housing needs. We are confident we can boost housing supply without abandoning the values of public transparency and civic engagement that are central to building strong communities.”