LA VERNE, CA – The City of La Verne has taken a formal stance against several proposed state housing bills that threaten to override local planning authority and strain essential City services. In alignment with the City’s adopted 2025 Legislative Platform, La Verne has submitted formal letters opposing key pieces of legislation that would diminish local oversight, reduce infrastructure funding, and complicate responsible, sustainable development.

Among the bills the City opposed:

• AB 507 (González) – Housing Development Approvals: Adaptive Reuse
  • Requires cities to approve adaptive reuse housing projects ministerially in all zones, bypassing local zoning, safety, and historic preservation considerations.
• AB 893 (Fong) – Objective Standards: Campus Development Zones
  • Expands streamlined, by-right approval of housing in university campus zones, removing public hearings and CEQA review. Though currently limited to public institutions, the bill raises concerns for future impacts on private university cities like La Verne.
• AB 1154 (Carrillo) – Parking and JADU Restrictions
  • Eliminates local authority to require parking for ADUs under 500 sq. ft. and weakens owner-occupancy rules for junior ADUs, adding traffic and enforcement burdens in residential neighborhoods. 
• SB 9 (Arreguín) – Accessory Dwelling Units: Owner-Occupancy Requirements
  • Prohibits cities from requiring owner occupancy for ADUs and gives the state Department of Housing and Community Development unilateral authority to void local ADU ordinances, stripping cities of oversight and flexibility. 
• SB 79 (Wiener) – Transit-Oriented Development Zoning Mandate
  • Mandates up to 7-story buildings and 120 units per acre near transit, overriding local zoning and general plans. Despite La Verne’s proactive planning around its new A Line station, the bill disregards infrastructure capacity, community input, and smart-growth principles. 
• SB 358 (Becker) – Mitigation Fee Act: Vehicular Traffic Impacts
  • Would mandate a 50% reduction in local traffic mitigation fees for housing near transit—regardless of actual traffic impact—leaving cities without funding to support safe and effective transportation systems.

“We recognize the need to address the state’s housing crisis, but stripping cities of authority and funding is not the answer,” said Mayor Tim Hepburn. “Streamlined state mandates take away our ability to plan in a way that protects our residents, infrastructure, and fiscal health. We are being forced to implement one-size-fits-all policies without support, which jeopardizes our small-town character and long-term sustainability.”

The Community Development Department has also raised operational concerns about the rapid pace of housing legislation. “Each year, we’re faced with entirely new planning rules and implementation requirements,” said Community Development Director Eric Scherer. “These streamlined processes may seem efficient on paper, but in reality, they bog down staff, introduce legal ambiguity, and make it nearly impossible to keep pace with responsible development review.”

While the City continues to support affordable and attainable housing, it is essential that development be guided by thoughtful, locally informed planning that ensures neighborhoods are safe, connected, and supported by adequate infrastructure.

For more information on the City of La Verne’s legislative priorities, please visit www.cityoflaverne.org/legislation or contact the City Manager’s Office.

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