Religious institutions and nonprofit colleges in California could soon turn their parking lots and other properties into low-income housing to help combat the ongoing homeless crisis, lawmakers voted on Thursday.
The legislation would rezone land owned by nonprofit colleges and religious institutions, such as churches, mosques, and synagogues, to allow for affordable housing. They would be able to bypass most local permitting and environmental review rules that can be costly and lengthy.
California is home to 171,000 homeless people — about 30% of all homeless people in the U.S. The crisis has sparked a movement among religious institutions, dubbed “yes in God’s backyard,” or “YIGBY,” in cities across the state, with a number of projects already in the works.
I couldn’t live in the country. Too inconvenient with too few upsides. I’ve spent years in New Hampshire 35 minutes on the highway from everything (meaning a kmart and a massive Hannaford store and nearly zero locally run businesses) and it was awful. I hate every single trip needing to be a planned special occasion.
My city is an under 3 story mix of single and multifamily homes with a loose grid and a lot to do. A handful of medium sized buildings in a walkable downtown. Dead silent at night, busy in the dayz always somewhere open to grab something when late at night. That’s my view of a proper place to live. But property values are going insane and the exurbs are growing fast and bringing with them traffic congestion and stupid politics, so I know I’ll need to fight to keep it a great place in the future.