Is Secret to California’s Housing Affordability Buried in Its Building Code?

Is secret to California’s housing affordability buried in its building code?

As lawmakers scramble to turbocharge post-fire recovery efforts in Los Angeles and to tackle a housing shortage across the state, a new addition may be coming to California’s building code: A pause button. Assembly Bill 306 would freeze the building standards — the rules governing the architecture, the layout, the electrical wiring, the plumbing, the energy use and the fire and earthquake safety features — for all new housing through at least 20…

Guest columnist Michael Seward: How wealth and privilege prevent much-needed housing

Amherst College blithely contributed to the housing shortage in Amherst. That was the takeaway of a recent Gazette article about the liberal arts college’s request to demolish two historic properties, which, according to the article, was purchased to prevent a housing development by outbidding private housing developers with $4.3 million in 2003. It’s an astonishing case of wealth and privilege preventing the construction of much needed housing,…

Newsom throws support behind housing proposals to ease construction and reform permitting restrictions

Newsom said it was "time to get serious" about the housing crisis, promoting two legislative bills that will ease the CEQA permitting process.

Newsom picks more housing over CEQA in backing two bills meant to speed construction

In summary The California environmental law known as CEQA can be used to block construction in developed areas. Gov. Gavin Newsom is supporting changes to encourage more housing. The effort by two Bay Area lawmakers to exempt most urban housing developments from the state’s premier environmental regulation — an idea that has drawn some of the state’s most powerful interest groups into a fierce legislative debate — just received a prized endorsem…

C.A.R., CRMLS align on transparency, push back on private listings

Powerful residential real estate groups in California see office exclusives as a risk to consumers and the integrity of the housing market.

California's Housing Crisis Demands Regulatory Reforms, Says Newsom - Davis Vanguard

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.