California has advanced several housing reforms over the past decade to tackle high costs, but one 1979 law—the Density Bonus Law—has become one of the most-used tools for homebuilders to get their housing approved by cities and counties. The Bonus…
California Legislature Votes to Allow Homeowners to Build Two ADUs
AB 956 Strengthens and Clarifies ADU Laws for HOAs, Large Lots “One ADU is great; two ADUs is even better” Los Angeles – Today, the California Legislature voted to approve AB 956, a bill by Asm. Sharon Quirk-Silva (Fullerton) that…
California Legislature Votes to Make Local Housing Fees Transparent
SB 1014 Requires Cities to Disclose All Local Requirements “Home builders deserve to know up front what their projects will cost” Los Angeles – Today, the California Legislature voted to approve SB 1014, a bill by Sen. Tim Grayson (Concord)…
California Legislature Votes to Expand Access to Townhomes, Condos
SB 1116 Strengthens the Starter Home Revitalization Act “We’re creating more pathways to homeownership for California families” Los Angeles – Today, the California Legislature voted to approve SB 1116, a bill which strengthens the Starter Home Revitalization Act (SB 684…
California Legislature Votes to Lower ADU Costs
SB 1117 Eliminates Arbitrary “Fee Cliff” ; Homeowners to Save Thousands “This is an important step toward lowering the cost of new homes.” Los Angeles – Today, the California Legislature voted to approve SB 1117, a bill which eliminates arbitrary…
The Homework: August 12, 2026
California YIMBY-sponsored bills lowering costs on ADUs and streamlining starter homes advance, a study found inclusionary zoning cuts homebuilding 32%, and California sued 5 cities for violating state housing laws.
California Cities Wanted Free Affordable Housing. Turns Out There’s a Huge Cost.
More than a third of California cities and counties, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and fast-growing suburbs like Dublin and Irvine, require private home builders to set aside a portion of the homes they build at below-market rents…
Lower Fees Lead to More Homes and More Revenues
One of the many levers that California cities control that directly influence housing production is the one-time fee they charge builders to help cover roads, parks, and other public infrastructure. A new RAND Corporation study by Lizhong Liu and Jason…
SB 79, One Month In: Taking Stock of California YIMBY’s Signature Bill
SB 79, California YIMBY’s signature legislation that legalized apartment buildings near transit stops throughout California, went into effect on July 1, 2026. Under the law’s provisions, jurisdictions throughout the state must now begin implementation, which includes various pathways to achieve…
The Homework: July 6, 2026
Many of our 2026 bills pass their policy committees! Building more apartments is good for the planet, and we explore one reason public transit is more expensive in the U.S. than Europe.