Overview
California has a massive inventory of underutilized land owned by religious institutions and colleges — parcels that are often well-located near transit, employment, and community services, but have been off-limits for housing due to local zoning restrictions. SB 4 changes this by mandating that cities allow affordable housing on these sites by-right, regardless of existing zoning.
Key Provisions
- Applies to land owned by religious institutions (churches, temples, mosques, etc.) and nonprofit colleges
- Projects must include at least 100% affordable units OR meet specific affordability requirements
- The city cannot deny a qualifying project on the basis of local zoning restrictions
- Projects must still meet objective development standards (height, setbacks, design)
SKDM's Strategy
For developers with relationships in the faith community or nonprofit education sector, SB 4 opens entirely new land sources in neighborhoods that are otherwise extremely difficult to develop. SKDM actively cultivates relationships with faith institutions and college campuses to identify SB 4-eligible opportunities.
Contact us to discuss how SB 4 may apply to your specific parcel or development program.