Notable New State Bills Tackle Streamlining, RHNA, and Housing Finance

Friday, February 21, 2025, marked the deadline for bills that lawmakers in the State Capitol could introduce. This was the first year that leaders in the Legislature imposed introduction limits of 35 bills per Assemblymember and Senator for the two-year session. Despite this, a record 2,350 bills – 1,500 Assembly bills and 850 Senate bills – were introduced before the deadline. A summary of each bill introduced can be searched under keywords or by legislators’ names at www.leginfo.ca.gov.

This marks the beginning of a very lengthy legislative process. Some bill ideas may not advance after introduction because the author is unaware of similar existing laws, while other ideas are truly “concepts” and require more time and stakeholder engagement before a policy committee can take action. 37% (871) of the bills that were introduced are “spot bills” or intent bills: these bills make technical or non-substantive changes to the law and are used as placeholders for more substantive bills to be introduced later.

Senators and assembly members from both sides of the political aisle introduced numerous bills that were both creative and comprehensive ideas to produce market and affordable housing.  Two of the Legislature’s most influential members on housing policy, Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland), introduced bills to reform CEQA and the local process to review and approve housing development.  These bills will potentially close loopholes exploited by NIMBY cities and community organizations that delay housing development project approvals.

Project Approvals, CEQA Review and Permit Streamlining Reforms

Two potentially impactful bills include SB 79 (Wiener, D-San Francisco) and AB 609 (Wicks, D-Oakland). SB 79 mirrors many aspects of SB 50, which Sen Wiener introduced back in 2018, with CA YIMBY, to override local zoning regulations near transit. The bill did not pass then. AB 609 creates a new CEQA exemption for infill development projects. Sen. Wiener has also introduced SB 607, which closes additional loopholes in the Category 32 CEQA Infill Exemption. Given these two authors’ influence in the Legislature, tracking these bills’ progress would be worthwhile.

Between 15 and 18 bills are also expected to be amended in March to comprise the newly introduced “Permit Streamlining Package,” led by Asm. Buffy Wicks, Chair of the Select Committee on Permitting Reform. This package aims to tackle issues related to permitting backlogs and will include a bill amending the Permit Streamlining Act to establish a uniform land use application for General Plan/zoning compliance housing projects; SB 330 reform, making clarifications on timing to make fixes to applications; establishing limitations on fees that can be charged on preliminary applications; expediting utility connections; and allowing home builders to hire a licensed and certified third-party reviewer for specific projects.

Regional Housing Needs Assessment Methodologies

A few bills related to the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) methodologies and planning were introduced. Asm. Elhawary (D-Los Angeles) introduced AB 1275, which aims to align the Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) with RHNA, and Sen. Seyarto (R-Temecula) introduced SB 233, which requires more consultation with the cities while the California Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) is working on their methodologies.

State Housing Bond for 2026 Ballot

Asm. Wicks (D-Oakland) and Sen. Cabaldon (D-Yolo) introduced AB 736 and SB 417, legislation that would place a bond measure on the June 2026 ballot to provide $10 billion for California’s affordable housing programs.

All bills in print cannot be amended for 30 days from the date they were introduced. Thus, mid-March will be the soonest date by which a clear picture of all housing policy bills being seriously considered this year will be formed.