California lawmakers vote to fast-track low-income housing on churches’ lands

By TRÂN NGUYỄN and SOPHIE AUSTIN
Associated Press/Report for America

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California lawmakers have voted to fast-track low-income housing on surplus land owned by nonprofit colleges and religious institutions. The bill would rezone lands owned by nonprofit colleges, churches, mosques and synagogues to allow for affordable housing. The state Assembly also approved a legislation to extend a landmark law to streamline housing projects in cities that failed to meet the state-mandated housing goals. Lawmakers also approved proposals to expand access to gender-neutral bathrooms in schools. They sent a bill to diversify school curricula to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. These are among the nearly 1,000 bills California lawmakers are considering during the hectic final two weeks of the Legislative session.