LOS ANGELES, CA - Los Angeles voters appeared to be approving Measure B on Tuesday, a plan to revamp outdated housing policies that limit low income projects the city can finance. The measure seeks to change policies that have been on the books for more than 30 years and limit city financing to projects under five units and two stories. The city had sought to get around the rules, but was told by the state Housing and Community Development Department that it was at risk of losing $1.2 billion in housing bond money approved by voters in 2006. The city ballot measure asked voters to ease the restrictions so the city can receive the state funds.
"In order for us to continue to build affordable housing in Los Angeles with public subsidies, we need to ensure that we are in compliance with state law," City Council President Eric Garcetti said. "We would literally be frozen in our tracks without this initiative passing."
The policies stem from Article 34 of the state constitution, which says city voters must approve any publicly funded low-rent housing development. It was approved in 1950 as a backlash to the massive high-rises and blocks of public housing that were being built in big cities in the 1930s and '40s.
To get around the provision, most cities sought approval to build a set number of low-rent units, rather than having people vote on each individual project.
Starting in 1973, L.A. voters approved five propositions that allowed the city to fund 52,500 units of low-rent housing. But except for low-income senior housing, the propositions limited the developments to no more than 30 units - or in some cases five units - and no more than two stories tall. Despite those policies, city and state housing officials got creative with their legal interpretations and funded dozens of low-income rental projects taller than two stories.
Source: ContracostaTimes.com