AB 1061
SB 9 Historic District Reform
AB 1061 will make it easier to increase the number of homes — including duplexes — in single-family neighborhoods by allowing California HOME Act (SB 9, 2021) to be used in historic districts as long as an existing historic structure is not altered or demolished, addressing the abuse of historic preservation measures as a tool to block more homes.
The California HOME Act (SB 9) was passed in 2021 to legalize and streamline the development of duplexes and small-scale lotsplits across California, including in historically exclusionary single-family neighborhoods. However, cities and individuals seeking to block new housing have successfully abused exceptions for historic districts in the bill, rendering it less useful for the purpose of building more homes.
AB 1061 will allow SB 9 (Atkins) to be used to streamline lot splits and duplexes in historic districts as long as the development does not alter or demolish an existing historic structure, allowing additional homes to be built in more neighborhoods.
Updates
- AB 1061 was introduced on 2/20/25. It passed the Assembly Housing Committee on 3/26/25 and passed the Assembly Local Government Committee on 4/23/25. It passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee on 4/30/25. AB 1061 passed the Assembly floor on 5/19/25 by a vote of 45-14. It passed the Senate Housing Committee on 6/17/25. It passed the Senate Local Government Committee on 7/9/2025.
Authors
- Sharon Quirk-Silva (AD 67)
Sponsors
- California YIMBY