(SACRAMENTO, CA) Assemblymember Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa), Chair of the Assembly Democratic Caucus, was given special recognition by the League of California Cities for being a tenacious advocate for local government during the 2006 legislative session.

“I began my political career in local government,” says Evans.  “I never forget where I came from.”

Evans was honored by the League for authoring two bills sponsored by them in 2006 addressing land use and housing issues.  In the January edition of Western City magazine, online at http://www.westerncity.com, the League describes Evans as “a tenacious author who fights for her bills” and notes that “she does not bend easily when pressured to vote for legislation on the Assembly floor that would undermine local land use authority.”

One bill authored by Evans for the League was Assembly Bill (AB) 2158.  It would have required councils of government to consult with local agency formation commissions prior to developing regional housing plans.  This would have helped communities from unreasonable allocations when available land on which to build homes is limited.  But this bill was vetoed by the governor.

“Our goal was to protect prime farmland and open space from being paved over,” says Evans.  “We need smart growth principles and local land use ordinances to guide the growth of communities in California.”

Another bill authored by Evans for the League was AB 3042.  It would have enabled local communities to exchange regional housing need allocations.  The bill was ultimately dropped after it became loaded with conditions that would make implementation nearly impossible.

“I put this bill on hold since we need a solution that is workable,” says Evans.