Governor Newsom to decide on bill to speed up transforming vacant California offices into housing

If signed into law, the bill could help address California’s housing crisis by turning empty office spaces into much-needed residential unitPhoto byJosh HildonUnsplash

A bill aimed at accelerating the conversion of vacant office spaces into housing in California’s struggling downtowns is now headed to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk. Assembly Bill 3068, introduced by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco), passed the state Senate with a 27-11 vote.

The legislation comes as cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles continue to grapple with the effects of remote work, which has left office buildings empty. In San Francisco, office vacancy rates are currently around 34%. AB 3068 seeks to streamline the process for transforming these underutilized office buildings into mixed-use housing, offering a potential solution to revitalize downtown neighborhoods hit hard by the pandemic.

If signed into law, the bill could help address California’s housing crisis by turning empty office spaces into much-needed residential units.