Gavin Newsom signs YIMBY-backed law to fast-track homebuilding

Gavin Newsom signs YIMBY-backed law to fast-track homebuilding

By Sophia Bollag, Clare Fonstein
Oct. 11, 2023Updated: Oct. 12, 2023

California is expanding a housing law that has led to the construction of thousands of new units amid the state’s ongoing housing crisis, under a measure signed Wednesday by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The law extends a policy enacted in 2017 that requires cities that fall behind on their state housing goals to streamline approval of some projects. That law was set to expire at the end of 2025 but will be extended, with modifications, until 2036.

Gavin Newsom signs YIMBY-backed law to fast-track homebuilding

Housing bill that targets San Francisco for extra scrutiny sent to Gavin Newsom

Sophia Bollag
Sep. 11, 2023 Updated: Sep. 12, 2023

California lawmakers on Monday voted to extend a 2017 law that requires cities behind on their state housing goals to streamline approval of some projects, sending the measure to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Developers in San Francisco have used the law to speed up thousands of housing units since it took effect at the start of 2018. The law, which was written by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, is set to expire at the end of 2025. The measure lawmakers passed Monday, SB423, would extend them until 2036.

How California lawmakers greenlit ‘any flavor of affordable housing you could possibly want’

How California lawmakers greenlit ‘any flavor of affordable housing you could possibly want’

BY BEN CHRISTOPHER
SEPTEMBER 19, 2023

A patchwork of bills are giving housing developers and local governments more options to reduce red tape for housing projects.

You may not have seen the headlines (there weren’t any). You may have missed the raucous debate (there wasn’t much of one). But with the end of the legislative session last week, California is now on the verge of laying down a welcome mat for most major affordable housing projects across the state.

State-Mandated Housing Coming to Your Town 

State-Mandated Housing Coming to Your Town 

Christine Epperley
September 13, 2023

Siyamak sits down with Christine Epperly, a licensed civil engineer and building designer with over 30 years in business. She discovered a state-run plan called the “15 Minute city”, that is changing the landscape of California.

“What’s happening in California is we’re building these high-density communities in the middle of the towns and suburbs. I looked at them and they’re basically all the same. It’s brutalism.”

Charter Cities SB-9 Lawsuit

Charter Cities SB-9 Lawsuit

Mike Griffiths
California Cities for Local Control

Today (Tues 9/5) was a big day! Today was the first hearing of the lawsuit filed on behalf of Charter Cities to overturn SB9 due to conflicts with the way the bill tries to exempt the legislation from the State Constitution’s protections for Charter Cities’ ability to manage their own land use and zoning.