The Housing Potential for Land Owned by Faith-Based Organizations and Colleges
Published On August 30, 2023
Senate Bill (SB) 4 is a California legislative proposal to allow and streamline affordable housing on land owned by faith-based organizations (FBOs) and non-profit institutions of higher education. New research by the Terner Center indicates that there is roughly 171,000 acres of land throughout the state that would be eligible for the benefits proposed under SB 4 and that may be well-positioned for new affordable housing development.
Our analysis uses parcel-level data to identify land eligible for SB 4 within every county in California. We find that nearly half of the potentially developable land eligible for SB 4 incentives is located in neighborhoods of high opportunity. We also find that a significant share of such land is located near high-quality transit stops.
The report concludes with recommendations for further facilitating housing development on land owned by also increasing the technical assistance available to FBOs and higher education institutions.
Share This Post:
Related Articles
California’s Building Code Appeals Process: A Quiet but Crucial Lever for Housing
California’s housing crisis has precipitated substantial zoning and land use reforms, as well as funding investments. However, one of the…
Steps Local Governments Can Take to Unlock More Housing: Lessons from San Diego
Author: William Fulton, Terner Center Fellow Co-authors: Sarah Karlinsky, Director of Research and Policy; Quinn Underriner, Senior Data Scientist Over…
Housing Opportunities: Governor’s Reorganization Plan to Create the California Housing and Homelessness Agency
Authors: Doug Shoemaker, Terner Center Affiliate Geeta Rao, Senior Director, Northern California Market, Enterprise Community Partners Co-authors: Sarah Karlinsky, Director…
Testimony to the Little Hoover Commission
On April 23, 2025, Terner Center Managing Director Ben Metcalf and Research Director Sarah Karlinsky testified at the Little Hoover…
