Fast Track Housing Package
California’s Housing Crisis Demands Urgent Action!
California is in the midst of a housing emergency—one affecting renters, homeowners, and entire communities. With a shortage of 2.5 million homes, nearly 200,000 people experiencing homelessness, and over 80% of low-income households struggling to afford rent, the crisis is unsustainable.
At the same time, the climate crisis is accelerating: rising temperatures, wildfires, droughts, and floods threaten both our environment and our economy. These twin crises—housing and climate—are deeply interconnected. Tackling one without the other is no longer an option.
The Fast Track Housing Package is a bold solution that speeds up housing approvals while ensuring projects meet California’s environmental goals. By cutting red tape, streamlining processes, and clearing the way for smart growth, Fast Track helps deliver the homes we desperately need—faster, fairer, and more affordably. This isn’t just about permits. It’s about the future of California.
Call To Action
The Cost of Inaction Is Too High
Without urgent reform, more Californians will be priced out, forced out, or left behind. The Fast Track Housing Package is a game-changing opportunity to address the housing crisis head-on, supported by a broad coalition of housing advocates, environmental leaders, and community champions.
Join us in calling for swift action. Let’s build a California where housing is affordable, climate goals are achievable, and our communities are resilient.
Pre-Application and Application
AB 1294 (Haney) – Creating Universal Applications for California Homebuilders
Sponsor: Abundant Housing LA
AB 1294 requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to create a standardized housing entitlement application that every city and county must accept, ensuring clarity and consistency in the housing approvals process.
Status: This bill is set to be heard in Senate Local Government on July 16th.
- Fact Sheet
- Bill Language
- Staffer: Dori.Ganetsos@asm.ca.gov
- Media Contact: Nate.Allbee@asm.ca.gov
Legislative Update: The bill was amended on 7/3/25 to include:
- Specify that the information that must be submitted in order for a housing entitlement to be deemed complete under the provisions of the bill include information necessary to determine compliance with applicable demolition protections of the HCA.
- Specify that a city or county may require a time-limited preapplication process to determine applicable HCA obligations.
- Remove the APA exemption for HCD’s adoption of the standardized application form. Allow the initial standardized application prepared by HCD to be adopted as emergency regulations and be valid for a period of 18-months, at which point subsequent regulations must be adopted pursuant to the normal APA rulemaking process.
CEQA
AB 609 (Wicks) – CEQA Exemption for Environmentally-Beneficial Housing
Sponsors: California YIMBY, Bay Area Council
AB 609 streamlines the permitting process for multi-family housing in existing, developed urban areas by creating clear, objective criteria for exempting these projects from the California Environmental Quality Act.
Status: This bill is currently awaiting action in Senate Rules.
- Fact Sheet
- Bill Language
- Staffer: Steve.Wertheim@asm.ca.gov
- Media Contact: Erin.Ivie@asm.ca.gov
SB 607 (Wiener) – Refocusing CEQA On Harmful Environmental Issues
Sponsors: Bay Area Council, Housing Action Coalition, Rural County Representatives of California, and Prosperity CA
SB 607 refocuses the scope of environmental analysis required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to the issues we know to be truly environmentally harmful.
Status: This bill has been moved to the Senate Inactive File.
- Fact Sheet
- Bill Language
- Media Contact: Erik.Mebust@sen.ca.gov
Entitlement
AB 357 (Alvarez) – Exempting Student, Faculty, and Staff Housing Projects from Coastal Commission Review
Sponsors: Student HOMES Coalition, UC Student Association
AB 357 exempts certain student, faculty, and staff housing developments in the Coastal Zone from Coastal Commission review.
Status: This bill is set to be heard in Senate Appropriations on August 8th.
Legislative Update: Amendments taken in Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee:
- Deletes existing proposed language in PRC §30605(h)(2) (Page 3, line 28 to Page 4, line 19).
- Allows the Coastal Commission’s executive director to approve minor plan amendments (with no impact on coastal resources) without a full public hearing, unless at least three commissioners object.
- Requires the Commission to post and regularly update information online about development plans and amendments submitted by universities, including descriptions, status, conditions, and timelines.
- Fact Sheet
- Bill Language
- Staffer: Jose.Medina@asm.ca.gov
- Media Contact: Chris.Jonsmyr@asm.ca.gov
AB 920 (Caloza) – Centralized Application Portal for Housing Projects
Sponsor: Abundant Housing LA
AB 920 requires large cities and counties to implement a centralized online portal to manage permits across departments, allowing them to track in real-time the process from application through construction. This will increase transparency and improve the efficiency of housing project approvals, ultimately reducing time and costs that exacerbate the state’s housing crisis.
Status: This bill is in Senate Appropriations on August 18th.
Legislative Update: Amendments taken in Senate Local Government Committee:
- Technical amendments
- Bill Language
- Staffer: Omar.Hashemyan@asm.ca.gov
AB 961 (Avila Farias) – Extending California Land Reuse and Revitalization Act
Sponsor: Bay Area Council
AB 961 extends the California Land Reuse and Revitalization Act of 2004, which protects innocent landowners from liability for pollution if they meet certain criteria. The CLRRA reflects federal legislation that was passed to protect innocent investors in the remediation and development of brownfield sites, thus encouraging investment in what are often disadvantaged communities and neighborhoods.
Status: This bill is set to be heard in Senate Appropriations on August 18th.
- Fact Sheet
- Bill Language
- Staffer: Lupe.Leon@asm.ca.gov
- Media Contact: Carlos.Gonzalez@asm.ca.gov
AB 1007 (Rubio) – Reducing Shot Clocks for Permitting Agencies
Sponsor: California Building Industry Association
AB 1007 amends the Permit Streamlining Act to reduce the time limit (“shot clock”) for responsible agencies to act on permit applications for housing development projects from 90 to 45 days.
Status: This bill is on the Senate Appropriations suspense file.
- Fact Sheet
- Bill Language
- Staffer: Erica.Harnick@asm.ca.gov
- Media Contact: Madeline.Mabry@asm.ca.gov
AB 1276 (Carrillo) – Expanding The Housing Crisis Act of 2019
Sponsor: California Building Industry Association
AB 1276 expands the protections of SB 330 (2019) to state and regional agencies to improve transparency, consistency, and predictability in the housing approval process across California. This bill also makes updates to the policies and standards governing statutory vested rights to provide greater clarity and predictability for housing projects.
Status: This bill is currently set to be heard in Senate Appropriations on August 18th.
Legislative Update: Bill was amended on 6/10/25 to include:
- Broader Definition of Development Standards
The bill adds more types of rules to what local governments must honor when reviewing housing applications. This now includes:- Materials requirements
- Postentitlement permit standards
- Rules from state or regional agencies, not just city-level ones
- “Reasonable Person” Standard Expanded
The bill reaffirms that if a “reasonable person” could conclude a project meets the rules, then local agencies must treat it as compliant. This applies to rules from any public agency, not just cities or counties. - Reinforces Limits on Local Disapproval
Local governments cannot block or delay housing projects that meet these broader rules unless they can prove real health or safety risks.
SB 328 (Grayson) – Capping Hazardous Waste Generator Fees
Sponsor: Housing Action Coalition
SB 328 caps the Hazardous Waste Generator Fee, charged by DTSC, for certain housing, infill, non- profit, and park and open space projects, for homebuilders and projects who remediate contaminated soil. Additionally, the bill places timelines on DTSC to respond to post-entitlement permits. SB 328 would provide a fair and balanced approach to funding DTSC’s remediation efforts while still allowing critically needed housing and open space projects to move forward.
Status: This bill is set to be heard in Assembly Appropriations.
Legislative Update: Amended by Author:
- Amended the bill to insert its current provisions directing The Department of Toxic Substances Control to provide requestors notices when it requires more information to complete its review process, among other changes
- Fact Sheet
- Bill Language
- Staffer: Robert.Cruz@sen.ca.gov
- Media Contact: Audrey.Detmer@sen.ca.gov
SB 489 (Arreguín) – Improving the Permit Streamlining Act, Reducing Costly Delays
Sponsor: California Building Industry Association
SB 489 improves the Permit Streamlining Act (PSA) by requiring all public agencies to post online the information necessary for a housing development application to be deemed complete. SB 489 also eliminates gaps in the PSA and clarify the relationship of the PSA’s permitting rules and the separate rules governing post-entitlement phase permits so that all required public agency permits required to approve and build a housing project are expressly covered by either the PSA or the post-entitlement permit statutes, as appropriate.
Status: This bill is in Assembly Appropriations.
- Fact Sheet
- Bill Language
- Staffer: Jessica.Mattlock@sen.ca.gov
- Media Contact: Stefan.Elgstrand@sen.ca.gov
SB 786 (Arreguín) – Ensures Timely Enforcement and Judicial Review
Sponsor: California Attorney General, Rob Bonta
SB 786 resolves several ambiguities in Housing Element law and its relationship to other elements of the General Plan, and enhances accountability measures within various areas under the law.
Status: This bill is in Assembly Appropriations.
Legislative Update: Amendments taken in the Senate Judiciary Committee:
- If a city or county is ordered by a court to fix its housing plan within 120 days, but the state’s housing department (HCD) takes too long to review it, the court can give the city or county more time.
- To clarify timelines and procedures for local governments to fix noncompliant general plans and to ensure state review of housing elements happens in time to meet court orders.
- Requires the court to respond quickly to requests for temporary relief, ensures housing developments that follow the law can move forward without delays, and provides a backup process if the court doesn’t act on time.
- Fact Sheet
- Bill Language
- Staffer: Jessica.Mattlock@sen.ca.gov
- Media Contact: Stefan.Elgstrand@sen.ca.gov
Post-Entitlement
AB 1308 (Hoover) – Third Party Inspections
Sponsor: California YIMBY
AB 1308 allows home builders to hire a licensed and certified third-party inspector to complete final inspections if the local government cannot complete inspections of permitted work within 30 days. It also requires local governments to review the third-party inspection report and issue final approval within 14 days.
Status: The bill is set to be heard in Senate Appropriations on August 18th.
- Fact Sheet
- Bill Language
- Staffer: Enrique.Govea@asm.ca.gov
- Media Contact: Teresa.Trujill@asm.ca.gov
Legislative Update: Amendments taken in the Senate Local Government Committee:
- limits the bill’s scope to small residential projects—specifically, buildings with 1 to 10 units and no floors above 40 feet.
- It requires local building departments to complete a final inspection within 10 business days after work is completed.
- The bill also clarifies that no state reimbursement is needed since local agencies can charge fees to cover costs.
AB 557 (McKinnor) – Streamlining Post-Entitlement Permitting for Modular Homes
Sponsor: SoLa Impact
AB 557 updates the California Factory-Built Housing Law to include factory-built developments using at least 50% factory-built housing, shifts inspection and enforcement to the Department of Housing and Community Development (rather than local agencies), and allows licensed architects, under penalty of perjury, to approve factory-built plans on the department’s behalf. Ultimately, this bill aims to ensure that the permitting of both the factory-built and site-built components of projects move at similar timelines, minimizing delays and increasing the supply of quality housing in the state.
Status: The bill is currently in Senate Housing.
AB 660 (Wilson) – Closing Gaps in Timelines for Post-Entitlement Permits
Sponsor: California Building Industry Association
AB 660 closes gaps in existing law regarding the timelines for local agencies to act on post entitlement permits (“shot clock”) and establishes remedies for housing project applicants in situations in which a local agency violates the applicable shot clock when considering post entitlement permit applications and applications for service.
Status: The bill is in Senate Appropriations.
- Fact Sheet
- Bill Language
- Staffer: Melvin.Ridley@asm.ca.gov
- Media Contact: Audrey.Detmer@asm.ca.gov
AB 782 (Quirk-Silva) – Removing Costly Double-Bonding Requirements
Sponsor: California Building Industry Association
AB 782 removes burdensome and costly double-bonding requirements for private improvements imposed by some local governments by prohibiting local governments from requiring bonds for private improvements under SIAs.
Status: The bill is set to be heard in Senate Appropriations on August 18th.
Legislative Update: Amendments taken in the Assembly Local Government Committee:
- The Department of Real Estate (DRE) can’t require security for public improvements if the local government already has it covered.
- Local governments can’t require security for private improvements if the DRE already requires it.
- The Real Estate Commissioner still retains full authority over ensuring improvements are financially secure.
- These rules only apply to residential developments.
- Fact Sheet
- Bill Language
- Staffer: Dawn.Adler@asm.ca.gov
- Media Contact: William.Pond@asm.ca.gov
AB 818 (Avila Farias) – Housing Approvals For Rebuilding and Repair After a Disaster
AB 818 streamlines the permitting process for residents rebuilding their homes following a natural disaster. The bill requires expedited review for permits necessary to rebuild or repair a residential property affected by a natural disaster, and places limits on the fees that local agencies can charge these projects.
Status: This bill is in Senate Appropriations.
- Fact Sheet
- Bill Language
- Staffer: Matthew.Boer@asm.ca.gov
- Media Contact: Carlos.Gonzalez@asm.ca.gov
AB 1026 (Wilson) – Post Entitlement Permitting for Investor-Owned Utilities
Sponsor: Housing Action Coalition
AB 1026 streamlines housing development by bringing parity to the application review timelines for investor-owned utility companies, incentivizing faster timelines in the energization process, and allowing homes to be occupied more quickly.
Status: This bill is set to be heard in Senate Appropriations on August 18th.
Legislative Update: Amendments taken in the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee:
- The Public Utilities Commission must oversee the energization process and require large utilities to:
- Post detailed lists of required application materials and sample applications (including for housing projects).
- Review applications for completeness within a set timeline (10–45 business days).
- Allow applicants to fix (“cure”) incomplete applications and appeal if rejected.
- Notify applicants quickly once an application is approved.
- July 1, 2026 deadline for posting materials was replaced with a flexible date set by the PUC.
- The bill no longer assumes utilities act on their own—it now places authority with the PUC to direct their actions.
- Fact Sheet
- Bill Language
- Staff: Laura.Edwards@asm.ca.gov
- Media Contact: Edgar.Guerra@asm.ca.gov
AB 1206 (Harabedian) – Expanding Pre-Approved Housing Plans
AB 1206 streamlines the approval process for single-family and multifamily housing by requiring local agencies to adopt pre-approved housing plan programs by January 1, 2026. The bill expands pre-approved housing plans currently in place for ADUs to include single-family and multifamily housing.
Status: This bill is in Senate Appropriations.
Legislative Update: Amended on 6/9/25 to include:
Excludes large developments: The bill now says the preapproval program does not apply to big, master-planned or large-scale housing projects that involve dividing land for many new homes.
Faster approval timeline: If a housing plan has already been approved or preapproved, and the lot meets certain requirements, local governments must approve or deny the application within 30 days.
Minor fixes: A few small corrections were made to fix grammar and spelling (like fixing “Multifamlily” to “Multifamily”).
Legal
AB 6 (Ward) – Evaluating Building Codes for “Missing Middle” Developments
Sponsor: Casita Coalition
This bill establishes a working group of necessary state entities to study and make recommendations to the California Building Standards Commission to allow smaller developments between three and 10 units to be built under the California Residential Code (CRC). The bill also recognizes the need to reduce construction cost pressures by directing HCD to identify standards contributing to those costs and consider those pressures in future code adoption cycles, with a goal of reducing costs by 30%.
Status: The bill is on the Senate Appropriations Suspense File.
Legislative Update: Amendments taken in the Assembly Housing Committee:
Postpone the reporting requirements and the code cycle during which the working group departments would be authorized to propose any new or amended standards to align with the moratorium in AB 306 (Schultz and Rivas) which contains an urgency clause, which include:
- The deadline for the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to submit its findings on building standards for 3–10 unit housing is extended from December 31, 2027 to December 31, 2028.
- If the working group recommends changes, the earliest that HCD and other agencies could propose new building standards is pushed from 2031 back to 2027—to align with the code update cycle that follows the moratorium in AB 306.
- HCD’s review of the cost pressures from building standards, intended to help reduce construction costs by 30%, is also delayed to start with the 2027 code update instead of 2031, and will continue every three years.
- It won’t allow the working group to expand the Residential Code using sections of the International Code that California had previously excluded.
AB 610 (Alvarez) – Establishes Limits on Governmental Constraints Analysis and Review
Sponsors: California Building Industry Association and SPUR
AB 610 aims to strengthen compliance with housing element laws by mandating a thorough analysis of governmental constraints and program requirements impacting housing development.
Status: The bill is in Senate Appropriations.
- Fact Sheet
- Bill Language
- Staffer: Jose.Medina@asm.ca.gov
- Media Contact: Chris.Jonsmyr@asm.ca.gov
AB 712 (Wicks) – Enhancing Housing Law Enforcement and Penalties
Sponsor: California Building Industry Association
AB 712 sets out to improve the enforcement and efficacy of California’s housing reform laws to provide more certainty for all stakeholders and ultimately, more housing in California. The bill increases remedies against public agencies that violate the rights established in existing housing law. It also prevents public agencies from requiring housing development applicants to indemnify those public agencies when they violate state housing law on the applicant’s projects.
Status: This bill is set to be heard in Senate Appropriations on August 18th.
Legislative Update: Amendments taken in the Senate Housing:
- Limit the scope of the constraints analysis disclosure statement to cover the first three years of the housing element cycle following adoption of a compliant housing element, rather than the entire housing element cycle.
- Rename “covered governmental constraints” to “covered potential or actual governmental constraints,” and make conforming changes to align with existing statutory definitions.
- Remove “affordability requirements,” from the definition of “covered potential and actual governmental constraints.”
- Clarify that the restriction on the adoption of development policies that reduce the development capacity of land for residential development, is subject to HCA provisions for concurrent increases in land use intensity and allowances for preservation and production of housing for lower income households.
- Allow a city or county to implement a “covered potential or actual government constraint” that was not included in the constraints analysis disclosure statement if the city or county submits a copy of the policy to HCD within 30 days of the adoption or effective date of the policy.
- Fact Sheet
- Bill Language
- Staffer: Nicolette.Genovese@asm.ca.gov
- Media Contact: Erin.Ivie@asm.ca.gov
AB 1050 (Schultz) – Revitalization of Commercial Properties and Restrictive Covenants
Sponsor: SPUR
AB 1050 facilitates the redevelopment of vacant commercial centers by establishing a procedure to remove existing private reciprocal easement agreements from property title deeds. This bill will not change state housing laws related to project approvals, nor would it alter local zoning ordinances or the entitlement process. It simply allows proposed mixed-use developments to provide notice to interested parties of the intent to remove reciprocal easement agreement and proceed to redevelop the property without exposure to the potential of litigation.
Status: The bill is set to be heard in Senate Appropriations on August 18th.
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