Oppose AB 462 – Expand ADUs Without Compromising Coastal Protections
Support increasing housing without losing Coastal Act protections
California faces a housing affordability crisis that worsens sprawl and pollution statewide, levying unjust socioeconomic impacts on California’s workers and families.
AB 462 (Lowenthal, Rivas) seeks to expedite the development of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as a means of increasing lower-cost housing availability in the Coastal Zone. We support this goal and believe that it can be achieved while also ensuring that ADU development does not reduce coastal access, impact sensitive resources, or impair coastal climate resilience. However, we also cannot support proposals that would unnecessarily undermine the world-leading policies that protect California’s coastal environment for the enjoyment and benefit of all. As such, we must oppose AB 462 in its current form.
Additionally, AB 462 would exempt ADUs from requirements under the Coastal Development Permit only in Coastal Zone counties once subject to an emergency declaration from the governor. This is an arbitrary limitation that would only provide an exemption after an emergency.
We support Californians having greater access to ADUs along the coast now, without waiting for a natural disaster to hit. We urge Speaker Rivas and Assemblymember Lowenthal to consider our proposed amendments that would more quickly and efficiently provide a path to more ADU housing in the Coastal Zone while protecting the access and resources belonging to all Californians.