June 27, 2023
The Honorable Philip Ting
State Capitol, Ste 8230
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Assemblymember Ting,
On behalf of the City of Commerce, we must respectfully OPPOSE AB 480, which undermines the ability of local agencies to conduct appropriate economic development activities on properties they acquire or otherwise own, by expanding the scope of authority for the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to review “any action to dispose of land”, which would include properties retained for agency use, properties declared “exempt surplus”, and properties that local agencies are authorized by other laws to acquire and dispose of for economic development purposes.
The implementation of the Surplus Land Act (SLA), including HCD’s recent guidelines, has created immense delays and difficulties for local government agencies dealing with the control and disposal of their local properties. Regrettably, AB 480 would compound those difficulties by expanding state reviews and delays affecting properties retained for agency use and declared exempt surplus.
Rather than expanding the scope of the SLA, the law instead requires significant reform. The Legislature should thoroughly evaluate the difficulties, bureaucratic delays, and unintended consequences caused by the implementation of the existing law on local agency activities, including addressing unresolved conflicts with other laws and state policy priorities the Legislature has enacted that affect the disposal of local agency property.
For these reasons, the City of Commerce is respectfully OPPOSING AB 480. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact the City at 323-722-4805.
City of Commerce