On January 30, the battle for SB 50, the More HOMES Act, took a significant setback when the bill failed to pass the state Senate on a vote of 18-15. While we’re disappointed in the vote, we’re confident it was a setback — and not a defeat. The momentum for more homes continues to grow, and the YIMBY movement is playing a major role.

Just three years ago, our legislators and city leaders would scarcely acknowledge that we have a housing shortage; now, the debate is about the kind of housing we should build — not whether it should be built at all. Our coalition has grown substantially, with nearly 80,000 members of California YIMBY bolstered by an even larger network of volunteers and allies. Statewide polling of voters continues to show that Californians support more homes near jobs and amenities. And we’re already advancing other housing legislation that will continue to chip away at the problem.  

Make no mistake, SB 50 is the only proposal on the table — so far — that addresses the housing crisis at scale, with a lens to affordability and protections for tenants and sensitive communities. We’re confident that, with your continued support and passion, we’ll get a big, meaningful housing bill like SB 50 passed, and soon.

Along those lines: We’re pleased to report that AB 725 (Wicks), which requires “missing middle” housing for workers who don’t qualify for subsidized housing, passed the state Assembly last week and is on its way to the Senate for consideration. Missing middle housing is a vital challenge in housing policy that can’t be solved by subsidies; we’re excited to see this bill advance through the process.