By Taryn Luna, Sacramento Bee
 
After balking last week, the California Legislature is preparing for a vote on a series of bills that would help offset the state’s housing crisis.

Senate Bill 2 from Sen. Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, is the most controversial measure in the housing package. The bill would impose a $75 to $225 fee on real estate transactions and generate as much as $258 million per year for low-income housing development and programs to combat homelessness.

Atkins has struggled to convince two-thirds of the Assembly – all 54 Democrats – to support a fee increase after they raised gas taxes on motorists earlier this year. Besides the unpopular transportation measure, the Legislature extended the state’s cap-and-trade program climate change, which will raise the price of gas.

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