The Legislature returned from Summer Recess today to finish out the legislative session which concludes on August 31.

C.A.R. is strongly opposing two bills on which we have red alerts that create agencies with broad authority to impose taxes on property, SB 1105 (Hueso) and SB 679 (Kamlager). Unelected agencies should not be given broad power to raise taxes on homeowners generally but especially in a time of economic challenges when the state has an enormous surplus.

SB 1105 (Hueso) would establish the San Diego Regional Equitable and Environmentally Friendly Housing Agency which seeks to generate funding to expand housing creation and opportunity. C.A.R.’s reason for opposing this bill is that this unelected agency will have an expanded ability to impose a number of different taxes, including various forms of property related taxes. We will continue to strongly oppose SB 1105 until it is amended to, among other things, remove the broad taxing authority of the agency which would only serve to make owning a home more challenging in a time of high and rising costs and make homeownership more expensive for our state’s working families.

SB 679 (Kamlager) establishes the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (Agency) and authorizes the Agency to utilize specified local financing to fund affordable housing. This bill would grant vast, unchecked, bonding and taxing authority to an unelected Agency Board that may by resolution, or initiative, impose special taxes on real property, a parcel tax, a gross receipts business license tax, a special business tax, a documentary transfer tax, a special land value windfall tax, and a commercial linkage fee to fund the development of deed restricted affordable housing. C.A.R. will oppose SB 679 unless it is amended to, among other things, remove the broad taxing authority of the agency which would only serve to make housing less affordable and homeownership harder to reach for our state’s working families.

You can find more information about the Red Alerts and find graphics to post on social media here under Action Center.