Aria is the Policy Manager at Circulate Planning & Policy. Prior to working at Circulate, Aria spent three years working as a legislative staffer in the United States Senate. She primarily worked on transportation and appropriations policy. Aria graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 2022 with a double major in Global Studies and Finance. She also minored in Chinese Language and Culture.
During her free time, you can find her hiking, going to the beach, exploring new neighborhoods, and crocheting.
Aria Grossman's activity stream
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Aria Grossman published PRESS RELEASE - Circulate Planning & Policy Statement on Transit Fare Increase in Press Room 2026-07-17 10:46:50 -0700
PRESS RELEASE - Circulate Planning & Policy Statement on Transit Fare Increase
PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 17, 2026
Contact
Aria Grossman, [email protected]
Circulate Planning & Policy Statement on Transit Fare Increase
SAN DIEGO—Today, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) voted to increase fares across the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and North County Transit District (NCTD) systems. Beginning on October 1, a standard one-way MTS trip will cost $3 and a monthly pass will cost $85. Riders eligible for Senior, Disabled, Medicare, and Youth discounted fares will pay $28 for a monthly pass.
“Making it more expensive to ride transit is never ideal, but this fare increase is necessary to maintain the levels of transit service that San Diego residents rely on,” said Aria Grossman, Policy Manager at Circulate Planning & Policy. “Raising fares was the only way to avoid reducing transit service, a trade off that transit riders time and time again say they prefer.”
The fare increases were adopted through an amendment to the Comprehensive Fare Ordinance. The amendment maintains long-standing fare affordability measures that Circulate has advocated for, like free transfers and fare capping. Using fare capping, riders can purchase individual daily rides, and never pay more than the cost of a daily and monthly pass. MTS and NCTD are also developing a Low-Income Fare Eligible (LIFE) Program, which will also maintain current fare levels for certain eligible riders.
Fares are set to increase one additional time on October 1, 2027. While necessary, these fare increases are only a temporary solution. MTS and NCTD will need to come up will additional revenue streams to address long-term deficits. As they seek long-term solutions, MTS and NCTD must identify funding measures that do not further burden riders, like ballot measures, seeking state operations funding, and creative advertising strategies.
About Circulate Planning & Policy
Circulate Planning & Policy is a nonprofit think tank based in San Diego, dedicated to advancing mobility and making the region a better place to move, work, and play. Our work focuses on creating great mobility choices, more walkable and bikeable neighborhoods, and land uses that promote sustainable growth. For more information, visit CirculateSD.org.
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Aria Grossman published Comments on the Proposed Residential Rental Fee Ordinance in Policy Letters 2026-06-29 17:12:15 -0700
Policy Letter: Comments on the Proposed Residential Rental Fee Ordinance
Policy Letter: Comments on the Proposed Residential Rental Fee Ordinance
Circulate sent a letter commenting on Councilmember Elo-Rivera's proposed Residential Rental Price Gouging Fee Exploitation and Cost Transparency Ordinance. The proposal would cap rental fees. However, in some case where parking fees are required to be unbundled from rent, this would cap the fees below market rate and undermine the parking policy's intended equity and environmental intentions.
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Aria Grossman published PRESS RELEASE - San Diego City Council-Passed Budget to Advance Vision Zero in San Diego in Press Room 2026-06-11 15:11:19 -0700
PRESS RELEASE - San Diego City Council-Passed Budget to Advance Vision Zero in San Diego
PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 9, 2026Contact
Aria Grossman, (619) 736-0072, [email protected]
San Diego City Council-Passed Budget to Advance Vision Zero in San Diego
SAN DIEGO—Today, the San Diego City Council advanced a FY 2027 budget that makes strong progress towards Vision Zero in San Diego. The budget includes funding for two of the Vision Zero Coalition’s longstanding priorities: fixing the Fatal 15 and implementing the Speed Management plan. The budget also includes funding to maintain the Multi-Modal Team, which the initial draft budget proposed eliminating in its entirety.
Thanks to the strong leadership of Council President LaCava, Councilmember Whitburn, and Councilmember Campillo, the budget adopted by the Council today maintains the Multi-Modal Team, a team of engineers dedicated to making San Diego streets safer.
"Traffic safety is a public safety issue,” said Councilmember Raul Campillo. “Safe streets keep people alive in my district every day. Today, my colleagues and I ensured that we don't go back on our commitment to safety for our young people, seniors, and everyone who moves through the city. I will continue fighting to ensure we are doing everything possible to keep our residents safe, especially our children as they travel to and from school."
“Street safety is public safety. Throughout this budget cycle I have been committed to funding Vision Zero,” said Council President Joe LaCava. “The safety measures included in today’s budget advance the shared priorities the coalition and I hold by making driving, walking, and cycling safer. The recent tragedies in my district are a painful, and constant reminder why we must continue making these critical investments.”
“As Chair of the City of San Diego's Active Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I know how much families depend on safe, well-designed streets, whether they are biking to school, walking to a neighborhood park, or simply getting around their community”, said Councilmember Stephen Whitburn. “I am proud that today's budget restores the Multimodal Team and invests in the Fatal 15 and Speed Management Plan. Thank you to Circulate Planning & Policy, Families for Safe Streets, and the entire Vision Zero Coalition for their persistent advocacy and for never ceasing to make the case for the safety of San Diego families."
The budget includes the following highlights for traffic safety:
- $551,000 to make necessary improvements to the Fatal 15, the 15 deadliest intersections in the City.
- $2.4 million to implement the speed management plan, which would slow speeds near schools and in targeted safety corridors.
- $1.45 million to maintain the Multi-Modal Team within the Transportation Department. This team designs safety improvements like crosswalks, stop signs, and bike lanes that make our neighborhoods safer.
“This budget represents a strong commitment by the City Council to prioritize traffic safety,” said Aria Grossman, Policy Manager at Circulate Planning and Policy. “Making sure that our streets are safe for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists is a core city responsibility. However, too often, the safety of those who walk and roll is treated as a nice to have. The budget passed today reflects a commitment to building a city that is safe for all road users.”
“I lost my husband to a preventable traffic crash, and through Families for Safe Streets San Diego I’ve met far too many families whose lives have been forever changed by traffic violence. Today’s decision is an investment in preventing future tragedies and making our streets safer for everyone. We’re grateful the City Council chose to preserve the team responsible for designing the safety improvements that help save lives,” said Laura Keenan, Co-Founder, Families for Safe Streets San Diego.
“The budget passed by the San Diego City Council affirms a fundamental truth, that traffic safety is public safety,” said Ian Hembree, Advocacy and Community Manager for the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition. “The residents of America’s Finest City deserve a transportation system that enables safe choices to get around. Kids riding their bikes to school, seniors walking to church, and adults traveling to work will be safer because of the priorities identified in this year’s budget.”
“We are deeply grateful to all the advocates that continue to demand safer streets, cleaner air, and a more livable San Diego,” Anar Salayev, Executive Director of BikeSD, shared. “A budget reflects our values, and I am glad to see that our City’s leaders value traffic safety. This last-minute decision to ensure the preservation of the multimodal team is significant and a step towards protecting our citizens. I look forward to seeing their good work around our beautiful city.”
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Aria Grossman published Policy Letter: SANDAG's SB 79 Obligations in Policy Letters 2026-05-29 13:17:37 -0700
Policy Letter: SANDAG's SB 79 Obligations
Policy Letter: SANDAG's SB 79 Obligations
Circulate joined a coalition of organizations in sending a letter to SANDAG outlining its obligations under SB 79. The letter identifies transit corridors and stations that legally qualify under SB79 to inform SANDAG's upcoming implementation map.
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Aria Grossman published Policy Letter: Support for SB 1292 in Policy Letters 2026-05-26 14:53:41 -0700
Policy Letter: Support for SB 1292
Policy Letter: Support for SB 1292
Circulate sent a letter in support for SB 1292 (Richardson). This legislation would allow eligible cities to opt into an enhanced curb management framework. By allowing local jurisdictions to utilize stationary camera systems for parking enforcement and automated payment collection, this bill provides a tool to reduce congestion, improve safety, and optimize curb usage.
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Aria Grossman published Policy Letter: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act in Policy Letters 2026-05-19 13:54:28 -0700
Policy Letter: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act
Policy Letter: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act
Circulate joined nationwide coalition partners in helping to improve and advance the 21s Century Road to Housing Act. We are excited to be able to continue working with partners across the country to pass pro-housing federal legislation!
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Aria Grossman published Policy Letter: Vision Zero Advocates Outline Ways to Fund Traffic Safety in FY 2027 in Policy Letters 2026-05-13 12:55:37 -0700
Policy Letter: Vision Zero Advocates Outline Ways to Fund Traffic Safety in FY 2027
As the Mayor plans to eliminate a critical traffic safety team within the Transportation Department, safety advocates propose ways to fund this team without impacting the general fund.
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Aria Grossman published Policy Letter: Safety Advocates Response to the Mayor's FY 2027 Budget Proposal in Policy Letters 2026-05-01 11:16:20 -0700
Policy Letter: Safety Advocates Response to the Mayor's FY 2027 Budget Proposal
Policy Letter: Safety Advocates Response to the Mayor's FY 2027 Budget Proposal
Safety, mobility, climate, business, and community advocates sent a letter to the Mayor and City Council in response to the mayor's draft FY 2027 budget. While the budget contains some of the Vision Zero Coalition's priorities, it also takes a major step back in proposing the elimination of the Multi-Modal team. This team is responsible for critical complete streets work that makes San Diego safer.
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Aria Grossman published Policy Letter: Maintain Funding for Critical Housing and Transit Projects in Policy Letters 2026-05-01 11:03:44 -0700
Policy Letter: Maintain Funding for Critical Housing and Transit Programs
Policy Letter: Maintain Funding for Critical Housing and Transit Programs
Circulate joined partner organizations in calling on the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to revisit proposed amendments to a critical climate program. The proposed amendments would put funding for critical housing and transit programs, like the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program and the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program, at risk.
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Aria Grossman published Vision Zero Coalition Bike Master Plan Update Comments in Policy Letters 2026-04-30 16:57:58 -0700
Policy Letter: Vision Zero Coalition Bike Master Plan Update Comments
This week, Circulate and the Vision Zero Coalition sent a letter to City officials commenting on the City's bike master plan update.
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Aria Grossman published Vision Zero Coalition Response to Mayor Gloria’s Proposed FY 2027 Budget in Press Room 2026-04-15 12:09:25 -0700
Vision Zero Coalition Response to Mayor Gloria’s Proposed FY 2027 Budget
PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2026Contact
Aria Grossman, (619) 736-0072, [email protected]
Vision Zero Coalition Response to Mayor Gloria’s Proposed FY 2027 Budget
SAN DIEGO—The Vision Zero Coalition released the following statement in response to Mayor Gloria’s proposed FY 2027 budget.
“We are grateful for the Mayor’s commitment to fund the Fatal 15. However, one step forward does not enable one step back. The draft budget proposes to eliminate the Multimodal Program, the City Department responsible for planning and designing complete streets. This will bring progress on making San Diego streets safer to a stop. We call on the Mayor and City Council to rectify this issue and fund the Multimodal Program in the final FY 2027 budget.”
Despite a $10 million increase in the City’s transportation budget this year, the Mayor is proposing to eliminate all complete streets traffic engineers. These engineers plan and design street elements that make roads safer and flow better. This includes lane striping, traffic signal timing, crosswalks, and bike lanes.
More San Diegans die from fatal crashes every year than non-traffic related violent crimes. According to the Mayor, public safety is his Administration’s top priority. However, this budget cuts the entire team of engineers dedicated to making streets safer. Ultimately, San Diegans will suffer with their lives.
In 2015, the City of San Diego adopted a Vision Zero goal, committing to eliminating traffic deaths by 2025. Now in 2026, we have seen no progress. This action is another step back in the fight to prevent San Diego residents from dying while biking to work or walking to school.
About the Vision Zero Coalition
The Vision Zero Coalition is a group of organizations and advocates dedicated to eliminating fatalities and severe injuries on our roadways.
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Aria Grossman published Policy Letter: Comments on SB 79 Implementation in Policy Letters 2026-04-14 09:26:15 -0700
Policy Letter: Comments on SB 79 Implementation
Policy Letter: Comments on SB 79 Implementation
The City of San Diego was a notable supporter of SB 79 as it was moving through the State legislature. Now that it's time to implement the law, the City should opt to maximize its benefits. Circulate Planning & Policy sent a letter to the Planning Commission detailing elements of the City's draft implementation proposal that must be changed if the City wants to implement SB 79 at full force.
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Aria Grossman published MEDIA ADVISORY: Circulate Planning & Policy to Announce New Report on California Housing Policy in Press Room 2026-04-10 10:36:19 -0700
MEDIA ADVISORY: Circulate Planning & Policy to Announce New Report on California Housing Policy
MEDIA ADVISORY - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:Colin Parent — (619) 567-6856, [email protected]
Aria Grossman — (619) 736-0072, [email protected]
In-Person Press Conference and Online Briefing to Announce Release of Circulate Planning & Policy’s Latest Report on California Housing Policy
San Diego—TODAY, Circulate Planning & Policy will host an in-person press conference and an online media and policy professional briefing to discuss the publication of their latest report.
The report is titled “Win-Win Bonus: How Bonus Law quietly transformed California’s housing approvals.” It will be published online after the press conference. Embargoed copies are available upon request.
The report documents the success of California Density Bonus Law (Bonus Law), which provides homebuilders with a package of benefits if their projects include deed-restricted affordable homes.
Never-before seen data shows that Bonus Law has become the most widely used streamlining law in California. The report documents how Bonus Law was used to approve over 140,000 homes in the past four years.
When:
- In-person press conference on Friday, April 10, at 9:00 am
- Online media briefing on Friday, April 10, at 11:00 am.
Where:
- In-person press conference: One Mississippi Apartments, 4234 Mississippi St, San Diego, CA 92104
- Parking can be difficult, so please arrive early. There is a temporary loading zone in the front of the building for media equipment.
- Online media briefing: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89689805711?pwd=Dcfl9h9sRjlcGiao0EPZbLEYXpMy4y.1
Who:
In-Person Press Conference
- Assemblymember Chris Ward, 78th Assembly District
- Colin Parent, Report author and CEO, Circulate Planning & Policy
- Francis Barraza, Vice President of Policy, San Diego Housing Commission
- Sirpirina King, Resident, One Mississippi Apartments
- Maria Walker, Associate Planner, Circulate Planning & Policy, available for interviews in Spanish
Virtual Briefing
- Colin Parent, CEO, Circulate Planning & Policy
- William Fulton, Co-Director, Center for Housing Policy and Design Professor of Practice, UC San Diego
- Michael Lane, State Policy Director, SPUR
- Mahdi Manji, Director of Public Policy, Inner City Law Center (from LA)
Visuals
- Press conference event at an affordable housing development
- Elected official and affordable housing resident speaking at a podium
- Poster sized graphics of the report cover
- Charts showing growth in Bonus Law use
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PRESS RELEASE: Circulate Planning & Policy Releases New Report Outlining Success of California Bonus Law
PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 10, 2026
Contact
Colin Parent, (619) 567-6856, [email protected]
Aria Grossman, (619) 736-0072, [email protected]
Mariah Almasco, (619) 295-7043, [email protected]
Sandy Young, (619) 295-7140, [email protected]Win-Win Bonus: New report finds California’s Bonus Law was used to approve more than 140,000 homes, outpacing all other housing streamlining laws
SAN DIEGO – California Density Bonus Law (“Bonus Law”) has quietly become the state's most powerful housing tool, according to a new report released today by Circulate Planning & Policy. It was used to approve more than 140,000 affordable homes between 2021 and 2024, and it was used 10 times more than every other housing streamlining law combined in 2024.
Circulate’s report, titled “Win-Win Bonus: How California’s Bonus Law quietly transformed housing approvals,” shows that incremental, targeted policy changes made Bonus Law the most powerful housing tool in the state. In 2024 alone, Bonus Law was approved for use in 47% of all homes in multifamily projects and 78% of homes in completely affordable projects.
Bonus Law provides valuable benefits to homebuilders that include permanently affordable homes in new residential projects, which means that they are legally restricted from increasing the resale prices or rent levels. Projects that provide enough affordable on-site units can build up to twice the number of units as underlying zoning would allow.
“Many people have questioned the effectiveness of California’s recent housing reforms, but our research proves that Bonus Law is a solid winner,” said report author Colin Parent, CEO and general counsel with Circulate Planning & Policy. “These reforms are a win-win result for homebuilders and the communities that need more affordable homes – exactly what our state needs.”
“California’s Density Bonus Law is proof that smart policy produces real results,” said California Assemblymember Chris Ward, who was on hand for the press conference announcing the release of the report. “When we make it easier and more financially viable to build affordable homes, homebuilders and residents across California benefit.”
Since its start in 1979, Bonus Law has been changed and amended numerous times. The most recent enhancements to California’s Bonus Law were developed first in the San Diego region. City of San Diego Mayor Kevin Falconer adopted a 50% bonus as a local enhancement to the state policy in 2016. Circulate sponsored legislation to expand the 50% bonus statewide in 2020 with AB 2345, authored by Asm. Lorena Gonzalez. Circulate sponsored legislation with Assemblymember David Alvarez in 2023 to enact AB 1287, which created an additional 50% bonus. Combined, the two pieces of legislation allow for a full 100% bonus.
The two state laws dramatically increased Bonus Law’s effectiveness, becoming a major tool for multifamily homebuilders in California today. The report offers lessons learned and a quantitative analysis of the results: more affordable and market-rate homes for the Golden State.
The report offers recommendations to expand the use of Bonus Law, including:
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Name Update: Change the policy’s name to the “Affordable Homes Bonus Law” to better reflect the law’s core purpose of creating affordable homes. Data in the report shows that many projects build affordable units to take advantage of the law, and do not add any additional density.
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More Deeply Affordable Homes: Ensure that homebuilders can deed-restrict their units at levels more affordable than the levels outlined in the current statute. This will close a current loophole that limits the benefits available to 100% affordable homebuilders compared to those creating mixed-income projects.
- Streamlining Approvals: Simplify the approval process for homebuilders to make sure that homes are approved more quickly and face fewer barriers. Policy reforms should include making the benefits automatic, so homebuilders do not have to worry about retaliation from resistant local governments.
This report is part of a research collaboration between Circulate Planning & Policy and the Center for Housing Policy and Design at UC San Diego.
In the report, Circulate refers to the policy throughout as “Bonus Law,” not its long-form full statutory title of “California Density Bonus Law.” The statute’s name is misleading because the purpose of the policy is to create affordable homes, and many projects use the policy without adding any additional density whatsoever. The term “Bonus Law” also avoids the potential stigmatization that may come from the term “density.”
The full report is available at CirculateSD.org/WinWinBonus.
A press kit, including specific data about the Top 10 cities in California, video from the in-person and virtual press conferences, project photos, and report graphics, is available at CirculateSD.org/WinWinBonusPress.
About Circulate Planning & Policy
Circulate Planning & Policy is a nonprofit think tank based in San Diego, dedicated to advancing mobility and making the region a better place to move, work, learn, and play. Our work focuses on creating great mobility choices, more walkable and bikeable neighborhoods, and land uses that promote sustainable growth. For more information, visit CirculateSD.org.
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Name Update: Change the policy’s name to the “Affordable Homes Bonus Law” to better reflect the law’s core purpose of creating affordable homes. Data in the report shows that many projects build affordable units to take advantage of the law, and do not add any additional density.
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Aria Grossman published Policy Letter: San Diego's Transit System Depends on Maintaining Service Levels in Policy Letters 2026-04-06 11:27:37 -0700
Policy Letter: San Diego's Transit System Depends on Maintaining Service Levels
Policy Letter: San Diego's Transit System Depends on Maintaining Service Levels
The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) is facing an operational deficit, and must decide how to address this funding shortfall. While raising fares is never ideal, when the alternative is service reductions, it must be done. Circulate Planning & Policy sent the MTS board a letter urging them to adopt fare increase Package B with a phased implementation to soften the immediate impact on San Diegan's budgets.
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Aria Grossman published Policy Letter: Housing Coalition Writes in Support of the Affordable Homes Bonus Law in Policy Letters 2026-03-23 16:26:43 -0700
Policy Letter: Housing Coalition Writes in Support of the Affordable Homes Bonus Law
Housing Coalition Writes in Support of the Affordable Homes Bonus Law
Last week, the Home Building Alliance (HBA), a group of pro-housing organizations, wrote in support of AB 2433, the Affordable Homes Bonus Law. Circulate is the lead cosponsor of this legislation.
The HBA brings people together from across the political spectrum to advance legislation and administrative actions that will increase housing production in California. The Coalition of signatories includes builders, researchers, advocates, and public housing agencies.
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Aria Grossman published Policy Letter: Affordable Homes Bonus Law Support in Policy Letters 2026-03-23 16:18:06 -0700
Policy Letter: Affordable Homes Bonus Law Support
Policy Letter: Affordable Homes Bonus Law Support
Circulate Planning & Policy sent a letter in support of the Affordable Homes Bonus Law, the Bonus Law reform bill that Circulate is sponsoring. The letter previewed research in Circulate's upcoming policy report that shows that Bonus Law is the most utilized streamlining policy in the state of California. In 2024, Bonus law was used for ten times more approvals than all other housing streamlining laws tracked by the Department of Housing and Community Development combined.
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Aria Grossman published Media Toolkit for Electric Bicycle Coverage Released by Circulate San Diego in Press Room 2026-03-16 11:34:06 -0700
PRESS RELEASE - Media Toolkit for Electric Bicycle Coverage Released by Circulate San Diego
PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 16, 2026
Contact
Aria Grossman, (619) 736-0072, [email protected]
Media Toolkit for Electric Bicycle Coverage Released by Circulate San Diego
SAN DIEGO – Today, Circulate San Diego is releasing a toolkit to help media, elected officials, and San Diegans identify electric bicycles (E-Bikes) and the current associated regulations.
Circulate has a long history of supporting street safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and all vulnerable road users. We believe that all road users should follow the law to keep themselves and others safe. Parents have a responsibility to educate themselves about the law, and to purchase only the E-Bikes for their children that are appropriate for their age and level of skill.
Community concern over the safety of E-Bikes has been increasingly appearing in the media. However, so has misinformation about what exactly is considered an E-Bike.
Recent press coverage has misidentified certain vehicles as E-Bikes. Electric dirt bikes, seated electric vehicles without pedals, and mopeds are considered E-Motos or Motor-Driven Cycles, not E-Bikes. Under California law today, it is already illegal for children under the age of 16 to ride an E-Moto or Motor-Driven Cycle on local streets.
“Parents, teachers, and even elected officials should be looking for ways to make it safer for children to ride a bicycle,” said Aria Grossman, Policy Manager at Circulate San Diego. “Unfortunately, much of the discourse surrounding E-Bike safety has not been rooted in factual information about electric bikes.”
“Education is the most important path for progress on this issue,” said Carlisle Dockery, Director of Planning and Community Engagement at Circulate. “We’ve spoken with principals who had no idea that some of the E-Motos being ridden to campus weren’t street legal for their students. This is an opportunity to connect with families without dampening the growing enthusiasm for biking in San Diego.”
California has many laws already on the books to protect the safety of children riding bicycles and E-Bikes.
· For a traditional bicycle, children under 18 are all required to wear a helmet, and to follow the rules of the road, including speed limits.
The State of California defines Class One, Two, and Three E-Bikes as follows:
· Class One E-Bikes can reach up to 20 miles per hour with a pedal assist. This is less than the speed at which a traditional bicycle can travel. Children under 18 are required to wear a helmet.
· Class Two E-Bikes can reach up to 20 miles per hour with a pedal assist and throttle. This is less than the speed at which a traditional bicycle can travel. Children under 18 are required to wear a helmet.
· Class Three E-Bike can reach up to 28 miles per hour with a pedal assist. Only some Class Three E-Bikes have a throttle, and the use of those functions are capped at 20 miles per hour. Riders must be 16 years or older to ride a Class Three E-Bike. All riders of a Class Three E-Bike, regardless of age, must wear a helmet.
Below is an education toolkit produced by Circulate San Diego, sponsored by the California Office of Traffic Safety, with factual information on E-Bike classifications.
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Aria Grossman published PRESS RELEASE - Circulate San Diego and Assemblymember Alvarez Announce the Affordable Homes Bonus Law to Create More Affordable Homes in Press Room 2026-03-10 16:33:35 -0700
PRESS RELEASE - Circulate San Diego and Assemblymember Alvarez Announce the Affordable Homes Bonus Law
PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 10, 2026Contact
Colin Parent, (619) 567-6856, [email protected]
Aria Grossman, (619) 736-0072, [email protected]
Circulate San Diego and Assemblymember Alvarez Announce the Affordable Homes Bonus Law to Create More Affordable Homes
SAN DIEGO – Today, Circulate San Diego and Assemblymember David Alvarez announced new legislation to create more affordable homes. The Affordable Homes Bonus Law (AB 2433) will boost homeownership, create more affordable homes, and streamline housing approvals.
The bill reforms California Bonus Law, a state law that streamlines approvals by granting benefits to projects that build affordable homes. Bonus law is California’s most utilized housing incentive program. The reforms under AB 2433 will take this already effective program and make it even more conducive to building more affordable homes more quickly.
”We are grateful to Assembly Member Alvarez for continuing to fight for more affordable homes in California. The Affordable Homes Bonus Law will help create even more affordable homes that families can afford,” said Colin Parent, CEO and General Counsel with Circulate San Diego.
"California's housing crisis has been decades in the making, but Bonus Law is proof that the right policies work”, said Assemblymember Alvarez. “AB 2433 builds on that success by making it easier to build homes families can actually purchase. If you dream big and work hard, you should be able to own a piece of the California dream.”
The bills reforms focus on boosting homeownership, creating more affordable homes, and streamlining approvals through the following policy reforms:
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Create More For-Sale Affordable Homes: Grants additional incentives to homebuilders creating deed-restricted for-sale homes for low- and moderate-income families.
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Deeply Affordable Housing: Ensures that homebuilders can deed-restrict their units at levels more affordable than the levels outlined in statute. This will ensure that 100 percent affordable homebuilders can access the full stacked bonus available under AB 1287.
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Name Update: Changes the program name to the “Affordable Homes Bonus Law” to better reflect the law’s core purpose of creating affordable homes, improving clarity for homebuilders, local governments, and advocates.
- Streamlining Approvals: Streamlines the approval process for homebuilders to make sure that homes are approved more quickly and face less barriers. Policy reforms include making benefits automatic, reaffirming the non-discretionary approval of benefits, and clarifying that Bonus Law projects receive development certainty after their initial application.
California Bonus Law has strong roots in San Diego. Bonus Law has been on the books since 1979, but has only been widely effective in recent years, thanks in part to reforms born and bred in San Diego. Mayor Falconer adopted an enhanced bonus in the City of San Diego. In 2020, Circulate sponsored this policy for statewide adoption, with AB 2345 (Gonzales). Circulate later sponsored legislation with Assemblymember Alvarez to enact AB 1287 in 2023, which created an additional bonus. Now, homebuilders who build enough affordable units qualify for an additional 100 percent capacity bonus.
"AB 2433 modernizes and refines a key tool for producing mixed-income housing developments and neighborhoods,” said Michael Lane, State Policy Director at SPUR. “The new and improved Affordable Homes Bonus Program builds on past success by incentivizing developers to include below market-rate homes in their apartment buildings and subdivisions while enhancing feasibility. We are grateful to Assemblymember Alvarez for his commitment to ensuring this program can be implemented seamlessly at the local level to produce the housing we need."
“As a leading nonprofit housing builder, Community HousingWorks has been utilizing the CA State Density Bonus Law to bring more affordable homes to National City, the San Diego region, and throughout California,” said Sean Spear, CEO of Community HousingWorks. “By reducing the red tape and cost of building much-needed housing, these enhancements will allow us to provide substantially more homes and on a faster timeline.”
"Assembly Bill 2433 is a critical step toward expanding the supply of affordable housing in the San Diego region and across California,” said San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Chris Cate. “The bill addresses one of the most pressing challenges facing businesses in our region: attracting and retaining talent amid persistently high housing costs and a severe shortage of available homes. By expanding housing opportunities, this legislation helps strengthen our workforce and supports the long-term economic competitiveness of the San Diego region. We commend Assemblymember Alvarez for his leadership on this urgent issue and look forward to working with the Legislature to move AB 2433 forward and deliver real advancements on housing affordability.”
“AB 2433 makes important improvements to California’s affordable homes bonus program. Inner City Law Center is excited to support this effort to build more affordable homes across California,” said Mahdi Manji, Director of Public Policy, Inner City Law Center.
Circulate San Diego is the bill’s lead sponsor. The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, SPUR, and the Inner City Law Center are co-sponsors.
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Create More For-Sale Affordable Homes: Grants additional incentives to homebuilders creating deed-restricted for-sale homes for low- and moderate-income families.
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Aria Grossman published Policy Letter: Neighborhood Homes Program in Policy Letters 2026-02-24 10:10:57 -0800
Policy Letter: Neighborhood Homes Program
Policy Letter: Neighborhood Homes Program
Circulate sent a letter to the City of San Diego Planning Department making recommendations to inform the City's Neighborhood Homes for All of Us Program. As the City works to establish this program intended to create new missing middle housing, it must ensure that the program remains broad and flexible to maximize its impact. A program designed to create homes for families must be flexible enough to ensure that a family seeking a one-bedroom home in a suburban area near school and a family seeking a three-bedroom home near transit will both benefit.
