Carlsbad’s legislative subcommittee received updates from state and federal legislative offices and its Sacramento lobbyist about several recently enacted bills and items the city is tracking that affect housing, permitting and short‑term rentals.

Francine Busby, district director for Senator Blake Spear, and Anna Mladenovic, field representative for Assemblymember Burner, each described bills that passed in the recent legislative session. Mladenovic noted AB 87 — which the city supported — clarifies density bonus law to prevent the law’s concessions and incentives from being applied to hotel or motel projects presented as housing. Busby said Senator Blake Spear’s SB 92 is a related measure aimed at preventing density bonus law from being used to gain concessions without producing affordable housing.

Both Busby and Mladenovic and state lobbyist Ms. Gonzales told the subcommittee that SB 79, a bill expanding allowable density near certain transit stations, passed and was signed by the governor despite opposition from local legislators. Subcommittee members and legislative staff discussed whether specific provisions would apply to Carlsbad; Gonzales said an author’s “letter to the journal” is expected to clarify legislative intent and which transit stops are captured by the law.

The subcommittee also heard that the governor signed SB 346, allowing local agencies to require short‑term rental facilitators to register listings with the city. City members said the new registration authority responds to local concerns that some short‑term listings are not visible to local enforcement and that greater platform transparency could aid code compliance.

Other housing-related bills discussed included AB 253 (permitting private permitting if local review exceeds 30 days in certain disaster-rebuild contexts) and SB 358 (reducing vehicle mitigation fees for housing near transit). Gonzales said AB 253 stemmed from large-scale rebuilding needs in Los Angeles and that its local impact will depend on planning department capacity.

Council members thanked legislative staff for opposing provisions they viewed as harmful to Carlsbad’s coastal and neighborhood character and asked staff to track implementation timelines and the expected letter to the journal about SB 79. There was no formal local action taken at the meeting; staff said they will continue to brief the subcommittee with implementation details and any needed platform or ordinance changes.

Ending: City staff will monitor the governor’s implementing guidance and the author’s clarifying letter on SB 79, track SB 346 platform registration implementation, and return with recommended ordinance or platform changes if necessary.