Councilmember Ysabel Jurado was among the slim majority of the Los Angeles City Council who voted to formally oppose a California bill that aims to put more housing next to train stops and rapid bus lines.
On Tuesday, the City Council voted 8-5 in favor of a resolution declaring that the bill, known as SB 79, “undermines local governance” and “imposes unintended burdens on communities.”
Jurado deviated from the council’s progressive bloc with her stance, breaking with members Eunisses Hernandez, Hugo Soto-Martinez, and Nithya Raman, who voted against opposing the bill.
Soto-Martinez, whose district includes much of Hollywood, as well as Silver Lake and Echo Park, had strong words for his colleagues who stood against SB 79. “You can’t have your cake and eat it, too,” he said. “If you want the solution to these issues — the homelessness, permanent supportive housing sites — then build them in your district.”
Written by Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco, the bill seeks to address lagging transit ridership and the state’s housing shortage. It would override local land-use restrictions and let developers construct apartment buildings up to six stories tall, as long as they are within a quarter-mile of a light rail station or a rapid bus stop.
Boyle Heights plan years in the making
Jurado said SB 79 would have “major implications” for her district, which includes Boyle Heights, El Sereno, and Eagle Rock.
“In looking at the maps, almost the entire Boyle Heights Community Plan area would be subject to new zoning,” Jurado said during the council meeting.
Last September, the L.A. City Council unanimously voted to adopt proposals to update the Boyle Heights Community Plan, a blueprint for the neighborhood’s growth.
The plan implements new regulations for affordable housing developments across Boyle Heights and commits to developing affordable housing for acutely low-income to lower-income residents. To better serve the neighborhood demographics, there will also be a stronger push for apartments with two or more bedrooms in new developments.
It’s one of 35 neighborhood-specific plans that aim to improve the quality of life by addressing issues like housing, safety, infrastructure, land use and mobility, all while preserving the cultural identity of the neighborhoods they encompass.
A gamble Jurado won’t take
At the council meeting, Jurado said the Boyle Heights Community Plan incorporates “Boyle Heights values to protect longtime low-income residents while identifying new residential capacity.” It adds new housing “in a way that allows multigenerational households to age in place,” she said. The bill, according to Jurado, “would destroy that work.”
At this point, she said, it’s unclear how the bill could impact those tenant protections. Jurado fears the bill could lead to the redevelopment of older, rent-controlled buildings.
“This bill seems simple, but city planners tell me it will require site-by-site analysis to understand which units are impacted and which are not, and in the time it takes to assess that, that means things may get demolished,” she added.
“I’m not willing to gamble losing Boyle Heights,” she said. “That’s a gamble I don’t want to take.”
Along with Jurado, council members Traci Park, John Lee, Heather Hutt, Tim McOsker, Imelda Padilla, Monica Rodriguez, and Katy Yaroslavsky voted to oppose the bill.
LAist reporter David Wagner and Boyle Heights Beat reporter Andrew Lopez contributed to this report.
