Sacramento –Assembly Member Anna Caballero won the support of the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee this week for her proposal to allocate $200 million in parks funding provided through Proposition 1C, the state housing bond.

Caballero’s Assembly Bill 1252 would reward communities that are stepping up and providing the affordable housing that California so desperately needs. Eligible cities and counties must have an adopted general plan and housing element; met or exceeded housing production thresholds established by the California Department of Housing and Community Development; and issued a building permit for the new construction of a housing unit that is affordable to very low- or low-income households.

”Often, these communities are the same ones that lack critically need parks and recreational facilities,” said Caballero.

“It makes sense to me to allocate park funding in the housing bond to these parks-poor communities. It’s a great way to reward them for taking seriously their obligation to provide housing for all economic segments of the community, and offer an incentive for other communities to step up to their responsibilities.”

The bill provides that cities and counties can apply for the bond funds to build parks, or contract with park districts or other entities to provide the park facilities.

Housing represents a key priority for Caballero, who chairs the Assembly Local Government Committee. Prior to her election to the state Assembly last November, she served as mayor of the city of Salinas. As mayor, she worked with non-profit and affordable housing advocates, environmentalists, community groups and others to ensure that the city updated its general plan and housing element, and that critically needed housing was approved and built.

Caballero added: “I became acutely aware as mayor that housing alone doesn’t generate the tax money needed to fully pay for parks, roads and other infrastructure. I believe that communities that are actually building affordable housing really need and deserve our help.”

AB 1252 will be heard next in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee.