Opinion: CEQA’s Long Fall—and Why Its Reform Marks a Turning Point for California
Key points: For over fifty years, the California Environmental Quality Act—CEQA—stood as a pillar of the state’s…
Op-Ed | Federal Immigration Crackdown Threatens California’s Historic Housing Reforms
California’s housing reforms are being threatened by a federal immigration crackdown, which could lead to a shortage of skilled workers and a delay in the construction of new homes.
California Passes Landmark CEQA Reform in Effort to Combat Housing Crisis
Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law the most sweeping reforms to the California Environmental Quality Act in over five decades, creating ten new CEQA exemptions for projects such as infill housing, child care centers, and broadband infrastructure, and investing nearly $1.4 billion in new investments for affordable housing, renters, and first-time homebuyers.
Opinion: Why the Left Is Rethinking CEQA—and What It Reveals about Progressive Governance
California’s Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is being criticized by liberal lawmakers and housing advocates for obstructing progress and needs reform to balance environmental protections with the need for housing and infrastructure projects.
Opinion: As Californians Struggle to Afford Housing, Democrats Wage War against Themselves
California Democrats are struggling to address the housing crisis, with the governor’s proposal to streamline housing development being met with resistance from labor, environmental, and local government factions, while the state’s failure to build more homes per capita threatens to spark a backlash from middle- and upper-middle-class voters.
California Poised to Pass Groundbreaking CEQA Exemption for Infill Housing
California is set to implement a major environmental and housing reform with the expected signing of AB 609 into law, which will exempt certain infill housing projects from CEQA review, allowing for faster and more efficient construction of new homes in already developed areas.
Op-Ed | We’ve Opened the Tap—But California Hasn’t Turned the Water On
California is making progress in addressing its housing crisis with the passage of Senate Bill 79 and efforts to reform the California Environmental Quality Act, but the cost of building affordable housing remains a major obstacle.
California’s Housing Crisis Demands Bold Action, Say YIMBY Leaders
California YIMBY leaders Nolan Gray and Brooke Pritchard discussed the state’s housing crisis, the need for statewide solutions, and the potential of Senate Bill 79 to promote dense housing near high-quality transit hubs and limit urban sprawl.
Critics Warn SB 607 Guts Landmark Environmental Law in California
Opponents of SB 607 argue that the bill would gut California’s landmark environmental law, the California Environmental Quality Act, and undermine protections that have safeguarded communities for over half a century, posing health risks to construction workers and residents.
California’s Housing Crisis Demands Regulatory Reforms, Says Newsom
Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed a new legislative plan to streamline housing development processes and eliminate regulatory barriers in California, aiming to build 2.5 million homes and 1 million affordable units by the end of the housing cycle.
California Lawmakers Push for Housing Reform, Environmental Review Overhaul
Senator Scott Wiener has authored two key bills, SB 79 and SB 607, which aim to modernize California’s permitting and environmental review procedures to address its housing shortage and environmental protection challenges.
CAL HOUSING SKIRTS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS
By Megan Barr BERKELEY, CA — California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently vowed to restructure the California Environmental…