Bill to Reform Controversial California Environmental Law Clears First Legislative Hurdle

Bill to Reform Controversial California Environmental Law Clears First Legislative Hurdle

Apr 22, 2025 | Legislation, Environment, Housing

Adhiti Bandlamudi
Apr 22, 2025

A bill to exempt some housing projects from a controversial California law that pro-building activists blame for slowing down development cleared its first legislative hurdle this week.
On Monday, the State Assembly’s Natural Resources Committee approved AB 609, introduced by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Berkeley), which would exempt infill housing projects built within existing cities from review under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Bills are taking aim at land use

Bills are taking aim at land use

Apr 20, 2025 | Housing, Environment, Litigation

By Kate Talerico
April 20, 2025

For years, this lot just south of the West Oakland BART station has sat vacant. This was supposed to be housing — a 222-unit tower with 16 apartments set aside for low-income renters. But soon after Oakland’s planning commission signed off on the project, the decision was appealed. A coalition of trade unions, using the California Environmental Quality Act, demanded that the developer conduct more studies to assess the soil’s contamination levels — a process that could hold up construction for months.