August 18, 2026
The Honorable Sabrina Cervantes
Member, California State Senate
1021 O Street, Suite 7330
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: SB 1117 (Cervantes) Accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units.
Notice of Opposition (As of July 8, 2026)
Dear Senator Cervantes,
The City of Redondo Beach respectfully opposes SB 1117 (Cervantes), which would limit the amount of impact fees a local government could charge on an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) larger than 750 square feet for up to two ADUs on a lot.
Cities understand the importance of increasing housing opportunities and recognize the role ADUs play in helping address California’s housing shortage. However, local governments are also responsible for ensuring that communities have the infrastructure and public services necessary to support additional residential development. Roads, water and sewer systems, parks, fire protection, and other essential public facilities must be adequately funded to serve both existing and future residents.
Under existing law, the Mitigation Fee Act already strictly regulates development impact fees by requiring local agencies to demonstrate a clear nexus between the fee charged and the impacts created by development. These fees are not arbitrary and may only cover the reasonable cost of providing necessary public infrastructure and services. SB 1117 would undermine this framework by imposing an artificial cap on fees regardless of actual infrastructure costs or local community needs. The on-theground reality is that the need for infrastructure and public services does not go away if fees are reduced, and local governments have limited general fund cash to cover upfront costs of these essential public goods to support livable, equitable, and thriving communities
For the City of Redondo Beach, SB 1117 presents additional concerns given our unique coastal infrastructure, aging utilities, and already constrained funding sources. As a built‑out community experiencing increased demand for housing, Redondo Beach relies on impact fees to ensure that new development, including larger ADUs, contributes its fair share toward the improvements needed to maintain safe streets, resilient public facilities, and a high quality of life.
Imposing limits on these fees would shift the financial burden for necessary infrastructure upgrades onto existing residents and the City's General Fund. Without the ability to recover the true cost of supporting additional ADU development, Redondo Beach risks widening fiscal gaps and facing heightened challenges in meeting state housing goals while preserving the essential services our community depends on.
Additionally, limiting local governments’ ability to collect appropriate mitigation fees may create challenges in addressing environmental impacts associated with new development and could expose local agencies to increased legal and fiscal uncertainty. Effectively addressing California’s housing crisis requires aligning housing production with investments in infrastructure, since communities cannot be healthy, equitable, or livable without the facilities these fees support. For these reasons, the City of Redondo Beach respectfully opposes SB 1117 (Cervantes).
Sincerely,
James A. Light
Mayor, City of Redondo Beach