An act to amend Section 65950 of Sections 65928, 65950, and 65952 of, and to add Section 65928.6 to, the Government Code, relating to housing.
Summary
AB 1997 would speed up local approval timelines for certain housing development projects that require environmental impact reports under CEQA. For housing projects with an EIR, the bill shortens the standard deadline for a lead agency to approve or deny the project from 90 days to 60 days after EIR certification. It also creates a faster 30-day deadline for projects that meet a very high affordability threshold, if the applicant has already sought financing or other public assistance needed to make the project affordable. The bill preserves existing timelines for non-housing projects and other categories of development, and it allows written extensions by mutual agreement.
In addition to the Permit Streamlining Act changes, the bill directs the Director of Housing and Community Development, in consultation with the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, to convene a working group. That group must include equal representation from local governments, housing developers, and housing advocates, and it is tasked with recommending guidance to local jurisdictions on how to expedite housing development. Its recommendations may also include proposed state-law changes. The bill states that no state reimbursement is required for the local costs it imposes.
Impact
AB 1997 amends Government Code Section 65950 to impose shorter decision deadlines on local lead agencies reviewing housing projects, especially affordable housing projects, after CEQA environmental review is completed. It also adds Health and Safety Code Section 50411 to create a state-level working group focused on housing approval streamlining. The bill would affect cities and counties acting as lead agencies, housing developers seeking project approvals, and affordable housing projects that rely on tax credits, bond authority, or other public financing. It is identified as a state-mandated local program, but the bill declares that no reimbursement is required.
Sentiment
The available vote history suggests generally favorable committee support for the bill, with strong majority votes at earlier stages and the measure being advanced out of committee to Appropriations. The bill’s focus on accelerating housing approvals and supporting affordable housing appears to align with broader legislative interest in increasing housing production and reducing delays. The absence of recorded committee transcript opposition limits the ability to identify detailed debate, but the vote pattern indicates the bill was viewed positively overall.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the bill’s effect on local agency discretion and administrative timelines, since it would require cities and counties to act more quickly after CEQA review is complete. Local governments may be concerned about compressed review periods and added workload, while housing developers and advocates are likely to support faster approvals, especially for deeply affordable projects. Another possible issue is the bill’s affordability-based tiering, which gives the shortest deadline only to projects with very high shares of affordable units and verified financing applications, potentially raising questions about eligibility, implementation, and whether the deadlines are realistic for agencies.
An act to amend Sections 2301 and 2302 of, and to add Section 2303 to, the Fish and Game Code, to add and repeal Section 515 of the Food and Agricultural Code, to amend Sections 675, 676, and 676.