SB 312
In 2022, the California State Legislature passed SB 886 (Wiener) to help resolve the extreme shortage of housing available on California university campuses and in their surrounding communities. SB 886 allows streamlined approval for student housing that meets the highest standards of sustainable construction techniques, known in the industry as “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” (LEED). SB 312 fixes an error in SB 886 to ensure that projects that qualify for LEED certification receive streamlined approvals prior to their final LEED certification – which can not be granted until construction is complete.
Despite the extreme shortage of housing available on California university campuses and in their surrounding communities, proposals for student housing on and near university campuses are often delayed or obstructed by frivolous CEQA lawsuits. In 2022, the California State Legislature passed SB 886 (Wiener) to help resolve the extreme shortage of housing available on California university campuses and in their surrounding communities. SB 886 allows streamlined approval for student housing that meets the highest standards of sustainable construction techniques, known in the industry as “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” (LEED), but a technical issue in the bill has made it impossible for universities to use.
SB 312 addresses this issue and ensures SB 886 can successfully be used to streamline urgently-needed student and faculty housing on university land. SB 312 fixes an error in SB 886 to ensure that projects that qualify for LEED certification receive streamlined approvals prior to their final LEED certification – which can not be granted until construction is complete. All projects will still need to achieve LEED Platinum certification within 12 months of receiving their certificate of occupancy, and a university cannot use SB 886’s CEQA exemption again until the prior project obtains certification.
Updates: SB 312 passed the Senate Environmental Quality Committee on 1/11/2024 and passed the Senate Appropriations Committee on 1/18/2024. It passed the Senate floor on 1/25/2024.
Authors: Wiener (D, SD 11)
Co-Authors: Allen (D, SD 24)
Co-Sponsors: California YIMBY, UC Student Association, Student HOMES Coalition
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