Senate Bill 9 was designed to help combat California’s affordable housing crisis by adding housing units in urbanized areas, but it also has the power to help fight climate change!
Read on to discover how SB 9 can lead to a more sustainable future for Californians and the whole planet.
SB 9 will reduce urban sprawl
In California, demand for housing far outweighs supply. There are two ways to add more housing: infill and developing raw land. Urban infill — the type of development SB 9 will create — is the most environmentally responsible form of development as it leaves undeveloped raw land intact.
Developing raw land has devastating effects on the ecosystem by destroying native plant species and reducing animal habitats. It also worsens the effects of climate change in a number of ways.
Undeveloped land provides natural drainage for water. When natural land is developed for housing, much of this land is replaced with concrete. Without undeveloped land to absorb water, wildfire risks increase.
As the climate crisis worsens and wildfires continue to consume buildings in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), the number of climate refugees will inevitably increase. We as a society need to plan for housing options for those who have lost their homes due to wildfires and other climate-related disasters.
SB 9 infill development in urban areas is an ideal solution, since it adds much-needed housing while leaving wilderness and farmlands intact. And since all SB 9 dwelling units must be built to the latest fire safety standards, they will keep their inhabitants safer than older homes built to outdated fire codes.
In addition to absorbing water and acting as a natural defense against fires, undeveloped land also absorbs carbon. Whenever natural habitats are developed, a valuable carbon sink is lost. In time, this contributes to CO2 emissions and further degrades the ozone layer.
SB 9 projects carry a much smaller carbon footprint than traditional developments
The average home in the U.S. is over 2,000 square feet and nearly 40 years old. Smaller, newer houses — like the ones SB 9 will create — are more efficient and generate lower emissions than older and larger homes.
Many older homes are poorly insulated and have outdated energy-sucking appliances and HVAC systems, so it takes more energy to heat and cool them. If the older home also features an expansive floor plan and single-pane windows, it takes even more energy to regulate the indoor temperature.
Some older homes have heating systems that run on oil, which can emit sulfur dioxide and other pollutants. In addition to harming the ozone layer, burning fossil fuels can have a harmful impact on our health. The pollution it creates is known to exacerbate asthma and emphysema, and puts a strain on cardiac health. Smaller homes with modern energy efficiency standards cost less to maintain and emit less CO2.
Title 24 Building Efficiency Standards are updated every three years to ensure that new buildings are as efficient and environmentally sustainable as possible. Therefore, a house built in 2022 is held to a much higher efficiency and environmental standard than a home from 2012 or 2002 (not to mention a home built prior to the introduction of Title 24 in 1978).
Furthermore, the California solar mandate requires newly constructed homes to have a solar photovoltaic (PV) system as their main electricity source. The new units that SB 9 creates will be solar equipped, which will add renewable capacity to the electrical system. Homes with efficient electrical appliances that run on renewable (solar) electricity have a minimal carbon footprint and reduced energy costs for the residents.
Increased density will lead to less car dependency
Opponents of SB 9 often claim that densification will increase traffic and CO2 emissions. But increased density can actually help car dependency go down. If people live closer to each other and closer to the places where they shop and work, cars will become less necessary. Biking, walking, and carpooling become more viable options in denser communities.
Densification of suburbs will also increase demand for extended public transit, which will in turn decrease car dependence, traffic, and pollution. And not by a small amount — studies show that efficient city planning can reduce urban transport and residential greenhouse gas emissions by a factor of ten.
Rather than flooding the streets with traffic and greenhouse gases, SB 9 has the power to greatly reduce both. Fewer cars on the road means reduced greenhouse gas emissions, which will help keep our planet and ourselves healthier.
Conclusion
Climate change is not a hoax, nor is it a distant threat; it is a very real and currently happening. Seventy percent of cities worldwide are already experiencing effects of climate change, and that number is only expected to grow. Forty percent of Americans live in coastal areas, which will be adversely impacted by sea level rise over the next few decades. While urban areas are major contributors to climate change (due to their high carbon emissions), they also hold the key to decarbonization.
A 2018 report by the C40 network argues that by enacting a rigorous sequence of policy changes — including improvements to pedestrian and cycling access and public transit; requiring more energy-efficient building codes and retrofitting outdated constructions; and an accelerated expansion in renewable energy — cities could reduce emissions by eighty-seven percent. SB 9 could play a big role in helping to achieve these goals, if local governments cooperate with the legislation.
In addition to increased housing and environmental benefits, Senate Bill 9 has the power to help fight gentrification and displacement and strengthen local public schools and infrastructure with the taxes the new developments will owe.
If you want to help defeat the housing crisis as well as the climate crisis, use Homestead’s free search tool to see if your property qualifies for SB 9.
