California lawmakers moved forward with a major proposal Wednesday that could speed up housing projects across the state that desperately needs more homes.The Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee on Wednesday voted 8-0 to pass a bill that would exempt most new housing developments in cities from the California Environmental Quality Act, also known as CEQA. The bill is AB 609, written by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland. The state has been dealing with a shortfall of millions of homes, which has contributed to the state’s high cost of living and homelessness problem. Critics point straight to CEQA, which was signed more than 40 years ago by Gov. Ronald Reagan. The proposal, which was seen as highly controversial in years past, has been sailing through the State Assembly. It passed the Assembly’s Natural Resources Committee unanimously last month. It takes an average of four years to build housing in California, and it can take even longer in larger cities like San Francisco. Wicks told the committee on Wednesday that while CEQA is meant to protect the environment, she notes the law has been increasingly weaponized by groups that seek to stop affordable housing projects because they don’t want them built in their neighborhood. She noted it has also been used by labor groups as a bargaining chip seeking a project labor agreement, or businesses attempting to undermine their competition. She said that while local governments already have a process to determine if a project meets environmental standards, groups will still file these environmental lawsuits. “For a nominal fee, absolutely anyone can challenge the validity of a CEQA analysis for years and years and years and years and years,” Wicks said. “I can’t blame folks for using CEQA in this way. It’s a tool and they would be foolish not to use it. But I can point out the impact, which is to say it’s way too uncertain and time-consuming to build in California.” Environmental justice groups spoke out against the measure on Wednesday, warning that the proposal could take away the public’s right to comment on a potentially harmful project. “Community members would have no right to comment on the environmental and health effects of the project, no matter how large or egregious the projects may be,” said Jonathan Pruitt with the California Environmental Justice Alliance. “EJ groups would lose their right to inquire if developers are doing their due diligence to implement appropriate measures to reduce the adverse effects.” Wicks promised to work with environmental groups and tribes who have concerns and questions about her proposal. The bill still faces several hurdles before it becomes state law.The bill’s next stop is in the Assembly Appropriations Committee, where it will be heard in May. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
California lawmakers moved forward with a major proposal Wednesday that could speed up housing projects across the state that desperately needs more homes.
The Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee on Wednesday voted 8-0 to pass a bill that would exempt most new housing developments in cities from the California Environmental Quality Act, also known as CEQA. The bill is AB 609, written by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland.
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The state has been dealing with a shortfall of millions of homes, which has contributed to the state’s high cost of living and homelessness problem. Critics point straight to CEQA, which was signed more than 40 years ago by Gov. Ronald Reagan.
The proposal, which was seen as highly controversial in years past, has been sailing through the State Assembly. It passed the Assembly’s Natural Resources Committee unanimously last month.
It takes an average of four years to build housing in California, and it can take even longer in larger cities like San Francisco.
Wicks told the committee on Wednesday that while CEQA is meant to protect the environment, she notes the law has been increasingly weaponized by groups that seek to stop affordable housing projects because they don’t want them built in their neighborhood. She noted it has also been used by labor groups as a bargaining chip seeking a project labor agreement, or businesses attempting to undermine their competition.
She said that while local governments already have a process to determine if a project meets environmental standards, groups will still file these environmental lawsuits.
“For a nominal fee, absolutely anyone can challenge the validity of a CEQA analysis for years and years and years and years and years,” Wicks said. “I can’t blame folks for using CEQA in this way. It’s a tool and they would be foolish not to use it. But I can point out the impact, which is to say it’s way too uncertain and time-consuming to build in California.”
Environmental justice groups spoke out against the measure on Wednesday, warning that the proposal could take away the public’s right to comment on a potentially harmful project.
“Community members would have no right to comment on the environmental and health effects of the project, no matter how large or egregious the projects may be,” said Jonathan Pruitt with the California Environmental Justice Alliance. “EJ groups would lose their right to inquire if developers are doing their due diligence to implement appropriate measures to reduce the adverse effects.”
Wicks promised to work with environmental groups and tribes who have concerns and questions about her proposal. The bill still faces several hurdles before it becomes state law.
The bill’s next stop is in the Assembly Appropriations Committee, where it will be heard in May.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel