News & Analysis as of

Urban Planning & Development Regulatory Reform Housing Market

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Cutting Through California's Housing Crisis: Are New CEQA Exemptions Enough?

As discussed in our earlier post, California's CEQA landscape has rapidly, and potentially seismically, evolved with the passage of AB 130 and SB 131. This post focuses on the immediate creation of a new statutory exemption,...more

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

CEQA Infill Exemptions and “Near Miss” Streamlining—A Concrete Fix for California’s Housing Crisis?

Note: This is the second update in our series covering AB 130 and SB 131, two bills that work substantive changes to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and California housing law....more

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

Major Changes to CEQA and California Housing Law Approved by Gov. Newsom

On June 30, 2025, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two budget trailer bills—AB 130 and SB 131—that together work major changes both to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and California housing law. Because these bills...more

Clark Hill PLC

CEQA finally brought to its knees by California’s severe housing crisis

Clark Hill PLC on

Originally enacted in 1970, the objective of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) was to review projects to assess potential impacts on the environment, disclose those impacts to the public, and mitigate those...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Seattle Upzoned To Allow "Middle Housing"

Single-family-only zoning has officially ended in the City of Seattle. On May 27, 2025, the Seattle City Council passed CB 120969 to comply with RCW 36.70A.635, which requires adoption of development regulations allowing for...more

Greenberg Glusker LLP

California Enacts Major CEQA Reforms

Greenberg Glusker LLP on

On June 30, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed two budget bills that contained the most significant reforms to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in decades, effective immediately. These changes create an...more

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

San Diego ADU Incentive Rollback Sheds Light on California Housing Woes

On June 16, 2025, the San Diego City Council voted 5-4 to cap the number of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) that can be built on single-family lots. The decision reverses the City’s 2020 implementation of a program allowing...more

Hogan Lovells

The construction turbo is coming in Germany! Draft law to accelerate residential construction and provide housing

Hogan Lovells on

On 18 June 2025, the German Federal Cabinet adopted a draft law to accelerate residential construction and secure housing (Schneller bauen mit dem Wohnungsbau-Turbo | Bundesregierung) in order to implement the 100-day target...more

Allen Matkins

Sustainable Development and Land Use Update 6.5.25

Allen Matkins on

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

Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass

There’s Always This Year? 2025 Legislature Considers CEQA Reforms to Spur Housing

California’s 2025 legislative cycle includes another ambitious package of housing bills as the state continues to look for ways to ease the housing crisis amidst continued political and economic uncertainty. Reforming the...more

Stikeman Elliott LLP

Bill 17: Ontario Government Proposes Amendments to Accelerate Infrastructure and Housing Development

Stikeman Elliott LLP on

On May 12, 2025, Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing tabled Bill 17, the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025, for first reading. Bill 17 is intended to remove barriers to building,...more

DLA Piper

Chile: Summary of Urban Development Division Circulars Issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development During February and...

DLA Piper on

Each month, Chile’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Development issues circulars from the Urban Development Division (DDU). Below, we provide a brief summary highlighting the key points from the circulars issued in February and...more

Allen Matkins

Sustainable Development and Land Use Update 3.31.25

Allen Matkins on

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

Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass

What We're Reading, Watching, and Listening To: March 2025

A roundup of news and multimedia from the Unfamiliar Terrain team: San Francisco - Mayor Lurie launches initiative to speed up S.F.’s slow permitting process (SF Chronicle): The Mayor announced a new effort to...more

Hogan Lovells

UK Leasehold Reform: Commonhold is coming

Hogan Lovells on

Commonhold is a form of freehold ownership, where each unit holder owns their own unit (which could be a flat, shop or office unit), and together they own their communal areas through a “commonhold association” - a company...more

Pierce Atwood LLP

Mass. "Unlocking Housing Production Commission” Recommends Land Use and Zoning Reforms

Pierce Atwood LLP on

Last Friday, Massachusetts’ “Unlocking Housing Production Commission,” established by Gov. Maura Healey in October, 2023, released its report titled “Building for Tomorrow.” The report lays out a series of recommendations to...more

Akerman LLP

New York City Council Passes “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity”

Akerman LLP on

On December 5, 2024, the New York City Council approved the “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” text amendment, as modified by the City Planning Commission, following recommendations from the Zoning and Franchises...more

BCLP

The King’s Speech: Hints at the Planning Reform to Come

BCLP on

So, now is the time to deliver. Among an abundance of new legislation announced in the King’s Speech, we see the legislative beginning of a heavily trailed reform to the planning system with the delivery of high quality...more

Pullman & Comley - For What It May Be Worth

New Bill Requires Municipalities to Assess Affordable Housing Properties Based on Net Rental Income

The Connecticut General Assembly recently passed a bill requiring municipalities to assess properties used solely for low and moderate-income housing based on the capitalized value of their net rental income....more

Jones Day

Biodiversity Net Gain: A New Requirement for Developments in England to Positively Impact the Environment

Jones Day on

The Situation: On January 17, 2024, mandatory biodiversity net gain ("BNG") regulations took effect, impacting most new developments in England. ...more

Lowndes

Florida Legislature Proposes Changes to Live Local Act

Lowndes on

The 2024 Florida Legislature is contemplating revisions to The Live Local Act (“Act”) which took effect on July 1, 2023. These changes are being considered in Senate Bill No. 328 and Florida House Bill No. 1239....more

Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass

San Francisco’s “Housing Fee Reform Plan” Passes at Board of Supervisors, Awaits Mayor’s Signature

On September 5, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors finally passed on second reading two pieces of legislation, together referred to as the “Housing Fee Reform Plan.” The Plan, previously discussed on July 7, July 21, and...more

Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass

San Francisco Housing Fee Reform Plan Passes at Board of Supervisors

On July 25, the Board of Supervisors passed on first reading the “Housing Fee Reform Plan” legislation. The Board is expected to hold a second reading and finally pass the legislation in September after returning from summer...more

Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass

State Seeks to Curb Appeals of Residential Building Permits in San Francisco

The land use entitlement process in California is notoriously complicated, lengthy, and fraught with uncertainty. Less attention is paid to the process of receiving building permits, post-entitlement. Generally, this process...more

Stikeman Elliott LLP

Ontario Government Proposes New Provincial Planning Statement and Other Measures to Increase Housing Supply

Stikeman Elliott LLP on

On April 6, 2023, the Ontario government introduced a suite of legislative, regulatory, and policy proposals to tackle the housing supply crisis, including a new Provincial Planning Statement to streamline the rules around...more

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