On June 30, 2025, Governor Newsom signed two budget trailer bills into law: Assembly Bill 130 and Senate Bill 131, which reform the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) effective immediately. As explained by the...more
On June 30, 2025, Governor Newsom signed two budget trailer bills into law: Assembly Bill 130 and Senate Bill 131, which reform the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) effective immediately. As explained by the...more
7/3/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
California ,
CEQA ,
CEQA Reform ,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ,
Governor Newsom ,
Housing Developers ,
Infrastructure ,
Land Developers ,
New Legislation ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Laws
Various state housing bills are currently making their way through the California State Legislature that are expected to benefit mixed-income multifamily housing developers. The following summaries reflect the status of the...more
6/20/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
California ,
CEQA ,
Density Bonus ,
Governor Newsom ,
Housing Developers ,
Multi-Family Development ,
New Regulations ,
Proposed Legislation ,
State Legislatures ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Laws
AB 1893 (Wicks) significantly modified the so-called “Builder’s Remedy” under the Housing Accountability Act (Gov. Code § 65589.5) (HAA) effective January 1, 2025. As explained in our prior legal alert, the Builder’s Remedy...more
6/20/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
California ,
Construction Project ,
Density Bonus ,
Government Agencies ,
Housing Developers ,
New Legislation ,
New Regulations ,
Real Estate Development ,
State and Local Government ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Laws
Various state housing bills are currently making their way through the California State Legislature that are expected to benefit mixed-income multifamily housing developers. The following summaries reflect the status of the...more
AB 2243 (Wicks) amended AB 2011 effective January 1, 2025. As explained in our prior legal alert, AB 2011 provides for “by right” streamlined ministerial (i.e., no CEQA) approval of qualifying mixed-income and affordable...more
6/19/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
California ,
CEQA ,
Density Bonus ,
Environmental Assessments ,
Grandfathering Rules ,
Housing Developers ,
Land Developers ,
Multi-Family Development ,
New Legislation ,
Real Estate Development ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Laws
On May 29, 2025, the Supreme Court held that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) — which requires federal agencies to analyze the environmental impacts of projects that they carry out, fund, or approve — does not...more
Governor Gavin Newsom on March 14 praised Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) and Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) for sponsoring two bills (SB 607 and AB 609) that would streamline housing development in urban...more
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has released a rezoning plan to allow taller buildings along transit routes from the Marina to the Sunset and Richmond districts, changes he said would accommodate 36,000 new housing units...more
In a show of bipartisan and bicameral unity, California lawmakers on Tuesday unveiled a sweeping 20-bill legislative package aimed at overhauling the state’s housing development process. Branded as the “Fast Track Housing”...more
Senator Scott Wiener is back with another bill – SB 79 – to provide for streamlined ministerial (i.e., no CEQA) approval of qualifying housing development projects near transit across California. For qualifying projects...more
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has approved a resolution amending the city’s planning code to encourage the conversion of commercial buildings into housing. The amendment will remove select fees and application...more
On February 20, 2025, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) posted a pre-publication notice on its website of an Interim Final Rule that rescinds its regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy...more
The Los Angeles City Council last Friday granted final approval to a sweeping rezoning plan that aims to boost housing development along commercial corridors and existing dense residential neighborhoods. In a 14-0 vote,...more
Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Tuesday safeguarding victims of the Los Angeles-area fires from predatory real estate investors. The executive order is designed to protect residents in fire-ravaged zip codes...more
1/22/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
California ,
CARB ,
CEQA ,
Clean Air Act ,
Department of Buildings (DOB) ,
Environmental Policies ,
Governor Newsom ,
Housing Developers ,
HUD ,
National Emissions Standards ,
Real Estate Development ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Wildfires
California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday announced that the state has filed a lawsuit against the city of Norwalk over its passage of an ordinance that blocks new homeless shelters and other housing projects....more
On September 19, 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom approved Assembly Bill (AB) 2243 (Wicks), which amends AB 2011 (Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act of 2022), effective January 1, 2025. As explained in our prior legal...more
9/20/2024
/ Affordable Housing ,
California ,
CEQA ,
Conversion Requirements ,
Environmental Assessments ,
Governor Newsom ,
Grandfathering Rules ,
Housing Developers ,
Housing Market ,
Mixed-Use Zoning ,
Real Estate Development ,
Setback Rules ,
State and Local Government ,
Urban Planning & Development
Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday signed two new bills that aim to boost housing supply and further address the state’s homelessness crisis....more
8/29/2024
/ Affordable Housing ,
California ,
CEQA ,
Eviction ,
Governor Newsom ,
Housing Developers ,
Low Income Housing ,
Real Estate Development ,
State and Local Government ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Wildfires
On June 27, 2024, the California First District Court of Appeal affirmed the denial of a writ petition challenging the City of Lafayette’s determination that a 12-unit residential condominium building qualified for the Class...more
8/13/2024
/ Affordable Housing ,
Bay Area ,
California ,
CEQA ,
City of Berkeley ,
Construction Project ,
Environmental Policies ,
Federal Funding ,
Housing Developers ,
Housing Market ,
Popular ,
Public Projects ,
Railways ,
Real Estate Development ,
University of California ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Maps
A California Supreme Court ruling will allow student housing at University of California to be built at Berkeley's historic People's Park. In February 2023, a state appeals court in San Francisco had sided with the opponents,...more
6/13/2024
/ Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) ,
CA Supreme Court ,
California Fish and Game Commission ,
CEQA ,
Excessive Noise ,
Housing Developers ,
Housing Market ,
Proposed Rules ,
Student Housing ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Maps
Across California and the nation, developers moved to start fewer homes in 2023, a decline some analysts say could send home prices and rents even higher as supply shortages worsen. Developers cite several reasons for...more
Two bills proposed to modify the Builder’s Remedy are currently making their way through the State Legislature. As currently proposed, AB 1893 (Wicks) would (i) reduce the required percentage of (lower income) affordable...more
On March 19, 2024, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks introduced new amendments to pending Assembly Bill (AB) 2243, which would amend AB 2011 (operative as of July 1, 2023). As explained in our prior legal alert, AB 2011 provides for...more
The Los Angeles Superior Court issued a highly anticipated ruling on March 4, 2024, addressing a Builder’s Remedy project denial by the City of La Cañada Flintridge. The decision confirms (i) that a local jurisdiction cannot...more
The Los Angeles Superior Court issued a highly anticipated ruling on March 4, 2024, addressing a Builder’s Remedy project denial by the City of La Cañada Flintridge. The decision confirms (i) that a local jurisdiction cannot...more