Housing Discussion Takes Center Stage at ABAG Annual Meeting

Senators Wiener and Beall, Assemblyman Chiu to Engage with Local Leaders

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Feb 06, 2020, 18:41 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)'s annual General Assembly tomorrow morning will host a panel discussion on Bay Area housing featuring state Sens. Scott Wiener and Jim Beall, and Assemblyman David Chiu, who will discuss the hot-button topic. A question-and-answer period with local leaders will follow. The program, moderated by KQED housing reporter Erin Baldassari, will begin at 9:15 a.m., Friday, February 7, at the Bay Area Metro Center at 375 Beale Street in San Francisco. Interview opportunities will be available after the presentation, starting at 10:45 a.m.

Housing in the Bay Area and throughout the state is a topic that has dominated headlines, most recently during last week's battle in the Legislature over Sen. Wiener's Senate Bill 50, which sought to promote production of more homes near transit. While supported by some local governments, others have pushed back fearing loss of local control over land use.

Wiener is chair of the Senate Housing Committee, while Chiu chairs the Assembly's Housing and Community Development Committee. Sen. Beall has authored SB 795 to increase the production of affordable housing units in the state.

Founded in 1961, ABAG is the regional planning agency for the Bay Area's nine counties and 101 cities and towns, and is recognized as the first council of governments in California.

SOURCE Association of Bay Area Governments