What is Senate Bill 2 and how does it affect housing in the County?
Senate Bill 2 (SB 2) is a recently adopted State law which encourages local jurisdictions to provide emergency shelter, when and where necessary, for special needs groups as defined by State law. Examples of special needs groups include the elderly, persons with disabilities, large families, the homeless, farmworkers, families with female heads of households, etc. These emergency shelters could consist of year-round facilities or seasonal facilities, such as “cool zone” shelters provided during peak summer temperatures. SB 2 seeks to provide these shelter opportunities by clarifying and strengthening housing law to ensure zoning encourages and facilitates emergency shelters and, under the Housing Accountability Act, limits the denial of emergency shelters and transitional and supportive housing. The County is able to address the requirements of this new State law through existing zoning standards.
