To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: JANE CHUNG, ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER
TITLE
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AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO SIGN A LETTER OF SUPPORT TO ASSEMBLY BILL 2741, WHICH IF APPROVED BY THE STATE, WOULD PROMPT A REEVALUATION OF HOW THE STATE ASSESSES LOCAL ZONING TOOLS AND HOW CITIES REGAIN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE HOUSING PLANNING REQUIREMENTS
AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO SIGN A LETTER OF OPPOSITION UNLESS AMENDED TO SENATE BILL 866, WHICH IF APPROVED BY THE STATE, WOULD REQUIRE CITIES TO ADD ADDITIONAL HOMELESSNESS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS TO THEIR HOUSING ELEMENTS
RECEIVE AND FILE A LETTER OF SUPPORT TO THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MOTION TO REFORM AND INTEGRATE MENTAL HEALTHCARE WITHIN THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY HOMELESS SERVICES SYSTEM
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Consistent with the Legislative Action Platform, draft position letters are to be presented to the City Council whenever practical. Therefore, staff is providing the draft letters of support for Assembly 2741 and opposition for Senate Bill 866 for the City Council’s consideration.
The Legislative Action Platform also authorizes the submission of position letters prior to City Council review when an immediate response is required, provided the letter is reviewed and approved by the City Manager. To ensure the City’s position was represented at the Board of Supervisors meeting, staff submitted a letter of support in advance. This report presents the submitted letter to the City Council to receive and file.
BACKGROUND
Assembly Bill (AB) 2741 Muratsuchi
AB 2741 is an intent bill, if passed, indicates the Legislature’s interest in revising how the State evaluates zoning tools, such as residential overlay zones, and how jurisdictions may regain compliance with Housing Element Law after a decertification. While the bill does not make immediate policy changes, future legislation stemming from AB 2741 could affect the City’s approach to maintaining compliance with State housing requirements. Future legislation that provides clarification on how overlay zones are treated within a City’s site inventory, as well as clearer procedures for restoring compliance if a housing element is challenged or decertified, would support the City’s ability to comply with the Housing Element Law. Submitting a support letter for AB 2741 would help ensure the City’s interest are considered as the bill evolves and affirms the City’s support for continued refinement and clarification of the State housing element review processes.
Senate Bill (SB) 866 Blakespear
SB 866, if passed, would add new Housing Element requirements for local jurisdictions that do not directly receive Homeless, Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) program funding, which includes Redondo Beach. HHAP is a statewide, one-time block grant program to support regional coordination and expand local capacity to address homelessness challenges. Currently, Los Angeles County is the direct HHAP grantee and allocates funding to cities. For Redondo Beach, the bill would create several operational impacts. The City does not operate a case management system capable of collecting the detailed data required by the bill, and implementing such a system without state support would create an unfunded mandate.
The bill may also result in duplicative reporting, as the County already reports HHAP-related data for the region. Additionally, the bill’s broad data reporting language may be subject to interpretation, which could increase exposure to legal challenges related to Housing Element compliance. The City’s position is to modify the bill to ensure consistency with the existing HHAP regional planning process and to ensure that small cities, like Redondo Beach, are not disproportionally impacted when they are already excluded from direct state homelessness funding.
Submitting an opposition letter affirms the City’s concerns related to the bill’s implications for jurisdictions that do not directly receive HHAP funding.
If the City Council approves the position letters for AB 2741 and SB 866, staff will disseminate the letters to locally elected Legislators and upload them to the State’s new electronic portal, which automatically distributes letters to offices of the appropriate elected officials and committee(s) of jurisdiction.
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Motion
According to the 2025 Point in Time Homeless Count, 15,930 individuals experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County (County) are living with a serious mental illness, and 10,830 of them are unsheltered. Despite ongoing investments, the County’s field based mental health system has not kept pace with the level of need, in part due to limited or restrictive funding structures that prioritize traditional, office-based treatment models. These challenges are further strained by a nationwide behavioral health workforce shortage and the difficulty local agencies face in recruiting and retaining staff who are trained and willing to provide field-based services.
This motion aims to reform and integrate mental healthcare services within the County’s homeless services system by strengthening coordination between the Department of Mental Health and the newly created Department of Homeless Services and Housing. It also emphasizes expanding field-based care, improving data sharing, enhancing oversight of intensive, team-based mental health programs, aligning major funding sources, and building a more sustainable workforce. These reforms are intended to create a more responsive and coordinated system for individuals with complex behavioral health needs. For Redondo Beach, the motion could increase access to County clinicians who can respond to individuals experiencing homelessness within the City and improve pathways to treatment and housing for residents with serious mental illness. The reforms may also help reduce reliance on local law enforcement and support the work of the City’s Alternative Crisis Response Team by strengthening the County systems that the City depends on.
In order for the City’s position to be represented at the March 17, 2026 Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting, staff submitted a letter of support in advance. The motion was unanimously approved.
COORDINATION
Mayor Light drafted the position letter for SB 866 and Councilmember Kaluderovic drafted the position letter to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. The City Manager’s Office prepared this report.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with authorizing the Mayor to sign the position letters.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
• Letter of Support - AB 1247
• Letter of Opposition - SB 866
• Letter of Support - Reforming and Integrating Mental Healthcare within the County’s Homeless Services System