Carlsbad officials present 2025 legislative platform and housing priorities to Housing Commission

Carlsbad City Councilmember Teresa Acosta and Jason Haber, the city's intergovernmental affairs director, briefed the Carlsbad Housing Commission on July 10 on the city's 2025 legislative platform, recent city-sponsored bills and the city's priority state and federal funding requests.

The presentation outlined how the city develops policy positions through a council legislative subcommittee, coordinates with the League of California Cities and the National League of Cities, uses contract lobbyists and a grant writer, and monitors roughly 2,500'3,000 bills each year at the state level — about 200'300 of which the city considers relevant to municipal operations. "We are very engaged and we are actively advocating for Carlsbad and for our region," Acosta said, introducing the overview and explaining the city's practice of taking positions (support, oppose, watch) and sponsoring bills.

Why it matters: The update spells out the city's priorities that could shape state legislation and funding that affect local housing, homelessness services, land use and infrastructure. Several platform positions discussed would directly affect local housing policy if adopted at the state level, including proposals on CEQA exemptions for 100% affordable projects, RHNA allocation methodology and rules tied to density bonuses.

Key points from the presentation

- Legislative program and process: Haber said the city's intergovernmental program was established by city council policy and a 2018 council resolution and is run in part…