A group of California legislators gathered near the state Capitol to support a bipartisan bill package aimed at accelerating housing development. A key bill, proposed by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, seeks to exempt most urban housing projects from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), a law that mandates environmental impact reviews for public projects. If passed, the bill would prevent environmental lawsuits and legislative debates over exemptions, limiting the ability of various advocacy groups to delay housing developments.
Wicks argues that California’s slow housing construction is due to burdensome permitting processes and shifting political attitudes toward prioritizing affordability. However, strong opposition is expected from defenders of CEQA, who believe the law protects vulnerable communities and note that lawsuits under CEQA are rare. Despite this, Wicks insists that Californians demand action on the housing crisis and warns that inaction could drive residents to other states.
If the bill becomes law, it would mean:
- No more environmental lawsuits over proposed apartment buildings;
- No more legislative debates over which projects should be exempted from CEQA;
- Environmental justice advocates, construction unions and anti-development neighborhood groups can’t use CEQA to delay development.
Post a comment