Focus
Governor Newsom issues order protecting Los Angeles fire victims from predatory real estate investors
CBS News – January 14
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 in Los Angeles County, with a particular focus on communities like Altadena, which has been hit hard by the Eaton Fire. The order targets opportunistic real estate speculators who make unsolicited cash offers well below market value in attempts to exploit victims of the Southern California fires, the Governor's Press Office said.
News
California withdraws Clean Air Act waiver requests for vehicle emissions standards
Allen Matkins – January 16
On Monday, January 13, 2025, California withdrew requests for Clean Air Act waivers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency needed to support four recently adopted vehicle emissions regulations: 1) the Advanced Clean Fleets Regulations; 2) the In-Use Locomotive Regulations; 3) part of the Commercial Harbor Craft and Ocean-Going Vessels At-Berth Regulations; and 4) part of the Transport Refrigeration Unit Engine Standards Regulations. According to a statement from Liane Randolph, chair of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), California withdrew the waiver requests due to the uncertainty caused by the impending change in federal administration. The regulations covered by the withdrawn waiver requests include emissions standards that impact broad swaths of industrial, commercial, and governmental activity in California.
Governor Newsom signs order suspending some environmental requirements to speed LA wildfires recovery
NBC 4 Los Angeles – January 12
Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Sunday temporarily suspending permitting and review requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the California Coastal Act. The order will allow fire victims to restore their homes and businesses faster, Newsom said. The order also directs state agencies to identify additional permitting requirements, including provisions of the Building Code, that can safely be suspended or streamlined to accelerate rebuilding and make it more affordable.
LA mayor issues housing executive order amid wildfires, crisis
ABC News – January 14
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has issued an executive order to rebuild homes and businesses that the city lost in the ongoing LA County fires. The executive order calls for city agencies to expedite temporary occupancy approvals for 1,400 housing units that are near completion. The order also calls for city agencies to collectively expedite the building permit review process, calling for reviews to be done in 30 days following the submission of an application. Inspections by the Department of Building and Safety are to be conducted in two business days of a submitted request, according to the order.
Federal surface transportation agencies issue updated guidance for Section 139 environmental review and permitting process
Allen Matkins – January 3
The Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, and Federal Railroad Administration (the Agencies) recently issued updated guidance for implementing 23 U.S.C. § 139 (Section 139). Section 139 contains special procedures and requirements for the environmental review and permitting process for surface transportation and multimodal projects. The new guidance — officially titled “Section 139 Environmental Review Process: Efficient Environmental Reviews for Project Decisionmaking and One Federal Decision” (Guidance) — is effective immediately. The Agencies will accept public comments on the Guidance until February 18, 2025.
NAHB joins 15 states in lawsuit against HUD’s energy code mandate
Builder – January 6
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and 15 state attorneys general have filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Texas seeking to stop the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Agriculture from adopting the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 90.1-2019 as the minimum energy-efficiency standards for certain single-family and multifamily housing programs.
Berkeley is legalizing a type of housing that could add thousands of units to the market
San Francisco Chronicle – January 4
Retired Berkeley City Councilmember Susan Wengraf and Berkeley city planners have devised an amnesty program that gives single-family homeowners a path to legalizing previously unpermitted accessory dwelling units, a category that can range from converted basements and garages to in-law garden units. During a four-year pilot program that extends through 2028, Berkeley homeowners can approach city planners about getting unpermitted accessory units inspected for safety, and legalized, while being assured that the process will be confidential and no penalties will be assessed on the previously undocumented apartment.
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