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
California stands at a pivotal juncture in 2025, confronting an array of environmental and housing challenges. As usual, the California State Legislature is considering numerous strategies to address these issues. This year’s...more
6/24/2025
/ Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) ,
Affordable Housing ,
California ,
California Coastal Commission ,
California Endangered Species Act ,
CEQA ,
Citizen Suits ,
Clean Energy ,
Demolition ,
Density Bonus ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Policies ,
Habitat Conservation Plan ,
Housing Developers ,
Housing Market ,
Impact Fees ,
Natural Disasters ,
Natural Resources ,
New Legislation ,
Real Estate Development ,
Sackett v EPA ,
Water Conservation ,
Waters of the United States ,
Wetlands ,
Wildfires
Owners and operators of facilities damaged or destroyed by the recent Los Angeles-area wildfires should be aware of the risks posed by toxic contaminant releases during cleanup and, in particular, the regulatory requirements...more
6/23/2025
/ Asbestos ,
Cal-OSHA ,
California ,
CEQA ,
City of Los Angeles ,
Construction Industry ,
Contractors ,
Demolition ,
Government Agencies ,
NESHAP ,
Penalties ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Renovations ,
SCAQMD ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
Wildfires
In the summer of 2024, the State Assembly Select Committee on Permitting Reform began convening public hearings, interviews, and forums to understand how to reform land use permitting to address California’s ongoing “housing...more
6/20/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
California ,
CEQA ,
Clean Energy ,
Climate Change ,
Energy Projects ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Housing Developers ,
Infrastructure ,
New Legislation ,
Permits ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Renewable Energy ,
Water Supplies
On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, the Supreme Court issued an opinion in City and County of San Francisco, California v. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. No. 23-753 in which the City and County of San Francisco (San Francisco)...more
The California Court of Appeal’s recent decision in V Lions Farming, LLC v. County of Kern provides important clarity on the use of agricultural conservation easements (ACEs) for mitigating the conversion of agricultural land...more
2/5/2025
/ Agribusiness ,
Agricultural Sector ,
California ,
CEQA ,
Conservation ,
Department of Environmental Quality ,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ,
Environmental Policies ,
Mitigation ,
Oil & Gas ,
Real Estate Development ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
State and Local Government ,
Urban Planning & Development
On Monday, January 13, 2025, California withdrew requests for Clean Air Act waivers from the EPA needed to support four recently adopted vehicle emissions regulations: 1) the Advanced Clean Fleets Regulations; 2) the In-Use...more
The Assembly Select Committee on Permitting Reform held its first hearing on June 18, 2024, commencing its efforts to address California’s housing and climate crises by reforming the state’s land use permitting regime....more
On May 8th, 2024, the Little Hoover Commission released its much-anticipated report, “CEQA: Targeted Reform for California’s Core Environmental Law” putting forth recommendations to improve the functioning of the California...more
Various state housing bills are currently making their way through the State Legislature that are expected to benefit mixed-income multifamily housing developers. The following summaries reflect the status of the legislation...more
5/24/2024
/ Affordable Housing ,
California ,
CEQA ,
Conversion ,
Density Bonus ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Housing Market ,
Multi-Family Development ,
Natural Gas ,
Office Space ,
Real Estate Development