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Sacramento, CA - Today, California Business Properties Association (CBPA) and NAIOP of California announced legislation introduced to address lengthy delays in the building permit process. In partnership with the commercial real estate industry, Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva (D – Fullerton) has introduced Assembly Bill 2433, the Private Permitting Review and Inspection Act.
AB 2433 is designed to address the bureaucratic delays that frequently obstruct construction and development projects. If passed, the bill would improve the efficiency of local government operations by establishing clear timelines for permit processing. The bill would also establish the conditional use of private professionals for plan-checking and inspections if a local agency fails to meet the set deadlines.
“Reforming the building permitting process is a practical approach to making our state more economically competitive, creating jobs, and keeping businesses in California,” said Matthew Hargrove, President & CEO of CBPA. “Navigating bureaucratic hurdles is a key challenge not just for the commercial real estate industry, but for anyone trying to do business in California. AB 2433 will address this problem head-on,” he added.
Over the past decade, building permit processing times have been prolonged due to a variety of factors including the Great Recession, Covid-19 pandemic, and the retirement of many experienced personnel. By setting clear timelines for the permitting process, a more predictable and efficient environment for economic growth will be established.
“Unpredictable building permit processing times have created undue hardships and costs on Californians,” stated Assemblymember Quirk-Silva. “AB 2433 cuts through the red tape in the building permit process by setting reasonable, common-sense deadlines for plan-checking and inspections. It is all about keeping projects moving forward smoothly and providing relief to our local agencies facing challenges in timely permit processing.”
A provision of the bill allowing for the use of private professionals for plan-checking and inspections would help safeguard against delays and reinforce the commitment to maintaining timelines without undermining the primary responsibility of local agencies. The bill carefully exempts significant projects such as health facilities, public buildings, and high-rise structures, while upholding and maintaining rigorous safety and oversight standards.
“California has an urgent need for new quality building investment and upgraded building stock, including new housing,” said Stephane Wandel, NAIOP-SoCal's Legislative Affairs Committee Advisor. “At the same time, there are frequently excessive delays of up to 12 months to review plans and permits, even when these applications comply with building codes. These delays impede job creation and discourage investments to improve or build new properties. AB 2433 will ensure timely investments are made while ensuring compliance with local and state regulations,” Wandel added.
At the time of this release, AB 2433 is awaiting its first committee hearing.
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Established in 1972, CBPA proudly serves as the legislative and regulatory advocate for property owners, tenants, developers, retailers, contractors, land use attorneys, brokers, and other professionals in the commercial real estate industry representing their legislative and regulatory interests in California’s Capital and in Washington, D.C.
CBPA is the largest commercial real estate consortium with over 10,000 industry members and is the designated legislative advocate for ICSC, the California Chapters of the Commercial Real Estate Development Association (NAIOP Cal), the Building Owners and Managers Association of California (BOMA Cal), the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), and the Association of Commercial Real Estate – Northern and Southern California (ACRE), and AIR CRE.
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