Sen. Caballero and Asm. Wicks Celebrate Passage of Bicameral Housing Affordability and Production Package, Headed to the Governor’s Desk for Signature

SACRAMENTO – Today, Senator Anna M. Caballero (D-Merced) and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) announced that their comprehensive housing affordability and production package successfully passed both houses of the legislature. The two bills included in the bicameral package, SB 6 (Caballero) and AB 2011 (Wicks), are now headed to the Governor’s desk for signature.

SB 6, also known as the Middle-Class Housing Act, would greatly spur housing production and make homeownership attainable for working families. AB 2011, the Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act, would accelerate production of approximately 2 million units of affordable and mixed-income housing along transit-friendly commercial corridors.

Working in tandem, the bills are anticipated to increase housing production efficiencies across California, while strengthening labor standards and growing the workforce that will build that housing. By concentrating housing close to city centers, near jobs, transit, and services, AB 2011 and SB 6 would make a meaningful contribution to California’s efforts to avoid sprawl and fight climate change.

“A safe place to call home is the first and most important step to elevate families, eliminate poverty and boost mental health,” said Senator Caballero, Chair of the Senate Governance and Finance committee. “Solving the housing crisis has been a priority during my career, and SB 6 is the practical solution to expeditiously build much needed housing at all income levels. Coupled with the tremendous work of Assemblymember Wicks, our colleagues in both houses and industry supporters, California is on a new trajectory that will expedite production and reduce obstacles.”

“The Governor’s signature will change the trajectory of California’s housing crisis,” said Assemblymember Wicks. “Today’s vote brings us one step closer to that pivotal moment – no longer will lack of land be an issue for housing production. No longer will there be a lack of incentive for workers to join the construction workforce. And, no longer will red tape and bureaucracy prohibit us from building housing in the right locations to address our climate crisis.”

The state will need an estimated 2.5 million new housing units over the next eight years, with the need for more than a million units to be affordable for lower-income households. According to the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s 2022 Statewide Housing Plan. These bills are critical to meeting this need – it will jumpstart the production of millions of safe, affordable homes for Californians, while providing pathways to opportunity for all of the workers who build them.

“This housing package will kick start California’s affordable housing construction, which it so desperately needs,” said Pete Rodriguez, Executive Officer of the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters. “It ensures great jobs, wages and benefits to the workers who will now afford to live in the workforce housing they’re actually building.” 

"AB 2011 will open up blighted commercial properties to tens of thousands of affordable homes for lower-income and working class families. It will also dramatically raise wages, provide health care and better working conditions for thousands of low-wage, hyper-exploited construction workers, in an overwhelmingly non-union industry,” said Jay Bradshaw, Executive Officer, NorCal Carpenters. “And not least of all, it will level the playing field for honest contractors, providing a platform to organize thousands of workers, while building the housing California needs. We applaud Assemblymember Wicks and the legislative leaders that helped make this happen."

For questions, or to schedule an interview, please contact Elisa Rivera (209) 726-5495 (Caballero) or Erin Ivie at (510) 619-8495 (Wicks).

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Senator Anna M. Caballero represents the 12th Senate District, composed of Merced and San Benito Counties, Salinas Valley, and portions of Fresno, Madera and Stanislaus Counties.

Assemblymember Buffy Wicks represents California’s 15th Assembly District, which includes all or portions of the cities of Oakland, Richmond, Berkeley, Emeryville, Albany, El Cerrito, San Pablo, Pinole, El Sobrante, Hercules, Kensington, and Piedmont.