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A California lawmaker wants to make it easier to build homeless housing across the state and is taking aim at Los Angeles.

This undated photo shows a man walking by a lot that was slated for a homeless housing project in the 400 block of East Florence Avenue in Los Angeles. (Credit: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
This undated photo shows a man walking by a lot that was slated for a homeless housing project in the 400 block of East Florence Avenue in Los Angeles. (Credit: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Legislation from Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco) would require cities and counties to approve permanent supportive housing projects for homeless residents anywhere housing is allowed under that local government’s zoning rules.

Assembly Bill 2162 is necessary to remove barriers to housing California’s growing homeless population, which now tops 134,000 people, Chiu said. He’s also planning to make changes to the bill that would block policies, like those in Los Angeles, that allow local elected officials to spike homeless housing in their districts if those officials don’t provide explicit support prior to a vote.

Earlier this month, The Times reported on city of Los Angeles rules that require council members to write a “letter of acknowledgement” before a project in their district could receive funding from Proposition HHH, a $1.2-billion bond passed in 2016 to finance homeless housing in Los Angeles. A proposed 51-unit development in South Los Angeles fell apart earlier this year because Councilman Curren Price withheld a letter, arguing that the project should have provided apartments for homeless families, not just studios.

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