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State Legislature Watch List & Moving Forward Act
September/October 2020
 The historic Ralph Edward Matteson home was demolished without proper CEQA review. Photo by Kevin Cody |
Although California Senate Bill 50 was finally killed earlier in 2020, the State Legislature has been hard at work devising similar detrimental housing bills and methods to circumvent the California Environmental Quality Act. Several of these bills intended to pave the way for new housing at the expense of historic resources on SOHO's watch list, including Senate Bills 902, 995, 1085 and 1385.
One big problem with many of these bills is that they do not recognize local historic registers. So, for a project to trigger a historical review, the resource involved must already be listed on the state or national register. This is a fatal flaw in these bills, as the majority of designated resources in San Diego and many other cities and communities across the state are listed only locally. Obviously, also of great concern, many important resources are not listed at all. However, SOHO is diligently working with other preservation stakeholders, including the California Preservation Foundation, to address these concerns with lawmakers and the public.
On a more positive note, the Moving Forward Act (H.R 2) was approved by the state House of Representatives and moved to the Senate on July 20. This act includes various economic recovery provisions to enhance the existing Historic Tax Credit. The enhanced credit terms include a temporary increase from 20 percent to 30 percent for five years, establishing a permanent 30 percent for projects valued at $2.5 million or less, and makes the credit easier for non-profits to access. Reach out to your senator today and urge them to include these provisions in the next COVID-19 relief bill. This Action Campaign allows you to easily send letters directly to your senator today.
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