Local Permitting Delays Often Took Months; “Shot Clock” Sets a Time Limit “We’re reducing permitting times from many months to four weeks” SACRAMENTO – California home builders will be guaranteed faster permitting processes for new homes, thanks to new legislation…
New Law Ends NIMBY Abuse of ADU Permitting
“Final Boss” Bill Voids Local Regulations Designed to Ban Accessory Dwelling Units “Californians want to build ADUs. Now, local jurisdictions have to let them.” SACRAMENTO – Homeowners who seek to build accessory dwelling units (“ADUs”) will now have the full…
Governor Newsom Signs Historic Housing Legislation
SB 79 Culminates Eight-Year Fight to Legalize Homes Near Transit “This Governor has cemented his legacy as a pro-housing leader” SACRAMENTO — Today California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 79, a bill that will make it legal…
The Homework: October 8, 2025
Welcome to the October 8, 2025 Main edition of The Homework, the official newsletter of California YIMBY — legislative updates, news clips, housing research and analysis, and the latest writings from the California YIMBY team. News from Sacramento All of…
How America’s Regional Planning Boards Exclude Renters and Transit Users
America’s regional planning boards are stacked against transit riders. While renters make up over 30% of households in typical metropolitan areas, they hold just 3% of seats on regional planning agencies that control billions of dollars in federal transportation funding.…
The Legal Trap That’s Making California Condos Unaffordable—And It’s Not What You Think
California’s construction defect liability system (the legal rules that let people sue builders for problems with new buildings) is adding up to $18,300 per unit to the costs of condominiums. What was supposed to protect consumers has become a barrier…
The Homework: September 15, 2025
Welcome to the September 15, 2025 Main edition of The Homework, the official newsletter of California YIMBY — legislative updates, news clips, housing research and analysis, and the latest writings from the California YIMBY team. News from Sacramento HISTORIC VICTORY…
How America’s Wealthiest Neighborhoods Use Zoning Laws to Lock Out Renters
Across American suburbs, local governments use zoning laws to require large lot sizes, limit apartment construction, and mandate excessive parking spaces—regulations that effectively price out renters and concentrate them in just a fraction of neighborhoods. These rules operate like an…
Why Lot Size Requirements Make Neighborhoods More Expensive
America’s housing affordability crisis stems from an unexpected source: minimum lot size requirements. These are local laws that dictate how much land every new home must sit on. When a city says “every new house needs at least half an…
Historic Housing Legislation Passes in California
SB 79 Culminates Eight-Year Fight to Legalize Homes Near Transit “Nothing is impossible” SACRAMENTO – In a historic victory for California YIMBY and the YIMBY movement, the California state legislature today voted to pass SB 79, a bill that will…