Dear friends,

The YIMBY movement knows that housing policy is climate policy.

Too many Californians live in areas that are in the crosshairs of catastrophic climate impacts like fires and floods, and far from jobs, transit, and walkable neighborhoods.

We see the devastating results in communities that have burned to the ground, or suffered repeated floods, or watched as costs skyrocketed due to climate risk.

Our housing policies should minimize climate risk, and protect our neighbors – instead, they're adding fuel to the fire.

That's why we are announcing what we believe is the most important climate legislation of the decade. California YIMBY is joined with environmental and climate leaders to co-sponsor Assembly Speaker pro Tempore Chris Ward's AB 68, the Housing and Climate Solutions Act.

To quote President Biden, this is a big f'ing deal. And we’re going to need your help to make it happen.

Transformative legislation like this doesn't pass easily. We anticipate a fight. Will you stand with us and add your name in support of AB 68 so we can tackle the housing and climate crises together?
I'M IN >>

AB 68 advances California's long history of global climate leadership by integrating land use, housing, and related conservation policies. It will help us achieve broad housing affordability, while reducing both climate risk and the pollution that causes climate change.

We have to accelerate home building away from hazard zones, and closer to jobs and services, so people can spend more time with their families – and less time in polluting traffic.

AB 68 will ensure we build safe and affordable homes in our communities, and give more Californians access to a climate-safe future.

Here's what AB 68 does – and why it's such a game-changing piece of legislation:

Includes fundamental reforms that strengthen and expand existing state laws designed to legalize multi-family homes in walkable and transit accessible neighborhoods – measures that are key to enhancing housing affordability while reducing climate pollution from cars.
Extends new protections to natural and working lands and habitats that are vital for climate resilience, including lands known to mitigate the pollution that causes climate change, as well as lands that provide critical buffers from climate-driven wildfires and floods.
Protects Californians from fire and flood risk through the first-ever provisions designed to discourage sprawl development by requiring that municipalities first consider housing developments within existing communities, away from areas known to be at high risk of fire and/or flood.

For the past 30 years, most new homes in California have been built in these high hazard zones – putting lives and family fortunes at severe risk of catastrophic loss and displacement. Today, more than a quarter of all Californians live in fire hazard zones, while one in five are vulnerable to flood risk.

We can, and must, do better.

The provisions of AB 68 grew from a multi-year collaboration between experts in housing affordability, climate resilience and adaptation, land conservation, and pollution mitigation. The Alliance for Housing and Climate Solutions, co-founded by California YIMBY, recognized that without fundamental reforms, housing sprawl would combine with ever-longer car commutes to push California's housing affordability and climate goals out of reach.

California needs millions of new homes this decade to achieve its affordability goals. Meanwhile, according to the California Air Resources Board, California must reduce how much people drive by at least 25% this decade to meet its climate targets.

The Housing and Climate Solutions Act is designed to help achieve these goals.

So, if you’re excited about this transformative legislation to tackle the climate crisis and end California’s housing shortage and affordability crisis, now is the time to add your name in support of AB 68. SIGN NOW >> As always, it's your advocacy, energy, and passion that helps us make California for everyone.

Gratefully,

Melissa

Melissa Breach
Chief Operating Officer
Senior Vice President
California YIMBY

California YIMBY is a movement dedicated to ending our state’s housing crisis and building a more inclusive, affordable, and accessible state for ALL Californians. If you were forwarded this email, you can join our movement here. DONATE NOW » Want to keep track of housing issues and the YIMBY movement? Sign up for the HomeWork, our newsletter here.

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