Introduction
Assembly Bill 1287 from Assemblymember David Alvarez would expand California Density Bonus Law by creating a new "Middle Income Bonus Program." That program would encourage housing developers to maximize existing incentives to construct deed-restricted affordable units, and to provide additional deed-restricted moderate-income units.
AB 1287 is co-sponsored by Circulate San Diego, SPUR, and the Bay Area Council.
Endorse AB 1287
***Click Here to Endorse AB 1287*** as an organization, elected official, or individual.
You can also use our template letter of support to directly submit your endorsement of AB 1287.
How AB 1287 Works
Currently, California Density Bonus Law provides a number of benefits, including up to a 50 percent bonus for the number of homes a developer can build, if they agree to set-aside 15 percent of their base density units as permanently affordable to Very Low Income households.
AB 1287 creates a new incentive that can only be used when a project maximizes the production of Very-Low, Low, or Moderate Income units, as allowed by current Density Bonus Law. Only when those maximums are met, does an additional bonus become available when a project deed-restricts an additional percentage of Moderate Income homes.
This structure ensures that the new Moderate Income Bonus never undermines existing incentives under Density Bonus Law. In fact, it even creates new economic inducements to maximize deeply affordable unit production, by offering an additional sweetener in the form of the stacked bonus and additional concessions.
AB 1287 would maintain all of the substantial anti-displacement protections negotiated and adopted in 2014 through AB 2222.
Resources for AB 1287
AB 1287 Fact Sheet
AB 1287 Bill Text
Template Letter for Support
Guide to the California Density Bonus Law (Myers Nave, 2021)
Circulate San Diego Report: Equity and Climate for Homes (2020)
Circulate San Diego Report: Home Run for Homes (2022)
News about AB 1287
Press Release: Assemblymember Alvarez to Announce Legislation to Build More Affordable Homes, February 24, 2023
List of Endorsements (to be updated periodically)
Circulate San Diego (Sponsor)
Bay Area Council (Sponsor)
SPUR (Sponsor)
San Diego Housing Federation
Climate Action Campaign
Episcopal Diocese of San Diego
Southern California Obtainable Housing
Abundant Housing LA
Civic Well
YIMBY Action
Orange County Business Council
Colin Parent, Councilmember, City of La Mesa
Alonso Gonzalez, Councilmember, City of Chula Vista
You can add your endorsement by filling out this form.
