Office of the Mayor
City of Santa Rosa
100 Santa Rosa Avenue, Room 10
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
March 8, 2022
Honorable Marc Levine
California State Assembly
1021 O Street, Suite 5240
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 1445 (Levine) – SUPPORT
Dear Assemblymember Levine:
On behalf of the City of Santa Rosa, I am writing to express our support of AB 1445 (Levine).
Climate disasters and the impacts of climate change on our state have made more and more places unsafe to live. While California’s climate makes it prone to fires, human-caused climate change has caused fires to be bigger than ever before. In 2017, the Sonoma Complex fires ravaged Santa Rosa. At the time, it was the most destructive wildfire California had ever seen.
Drought conditions aligned with a significant wind weather event allowed the Tubbs Fire to spread quickly from the surrounding mountains into the City. Across Sonoma County an estimated 100,000 people were evacuated, 22 lives lost and billions in direct losses, including homes, businesses, and community infrastructure
In addition to fires, severe drought and periods of record-breaking heat, science has shown that climate change will result in a gradual and permanent rise in global sea levels. The U.S.
Geological Survey estimates that by 2100, about 6 feet of sea level rise and recurring annual storms could impact over 480,000 California residents. Unfortunately, as our state faces a climate crisis, it also faces a housing crisis and local governments must factor the impacts of climate disasters on where to build housing, while seeking to expand the supply of housing units.
AB 1445 requires a council of governments, a delegate subregion or the Department of Housing and Community Development, starting on January 1, 2025, to consider, among other required factors, emergency evacuation route capacity, wildfire risk, sea level rise and other impacts of climate change.
The City of Santa Rosa is committed to impede the effects of climate change by making a conscious effort to plan responsibly and prepare for our next climate-related disaster. Further, Santa Rosa has taken important steps to strengthen our actions surrounding climate change. In
Office of the Mayor
City of Santa Rosa
100 Santa Rosa Avenue, Room 10
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
2020, the City Council adopted a Climate Emergency Resolution, which committed the City to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and implement the work of the Climate Action Subcommittee.
This bill will ensure local governments are considering the impacts of climate change and disasters on risk to residents when planning for housing in their communities. Thank you for your continued leadership on this issue. For these reasons, the City of Santa Rosa supports your AB 1445. Should you have any questions please contact our legislative advocate, Sharon Gonsalves, with the Renne Public Policy Group, at (916) 974-9270.
Sincerely,
Chris Rogers
Mayor, City of Santa Rosa
CC: Senator Mike McGuire
Assemblymember Jim Wood