Senate Bill 789 (Menjivar; D-Van Nuys) proposes a statewide vacancy tax on commercial real estate, imposing a $5 per square foot tax on properties deemed "vacant." While intended to address commercial vacancies, the bill would have serious unintended consequences for property owners, businesses, and local governments.

This tax would penalize property owners during economic uncertainty and risk further destabilizing struggling markets. We need urgent action from our industry to stop this bill from becoming law. Please take a few moments to contact state representatives to urge them to vote note on SB 789.

Senate Bill 222 (Wiener; D–San Francisco), a measure strongly opposed by our industry, was held in the Senate Judiciary Committee and is effectively dead, though it remains eligible for reconsideration.

SB 222 sought to permit homeowners, businesses, and insurers to pursue damages from fossil fuel companies for climate-related disasters, effectively shifting financial liability away from ratepayers. The bill would have exposed businesses to billions of dollars in litigation, threatened operational viability, and driven insurance premiums even higher for all Californians—without providing meaningful solutions to climate risks or contributing to the stabilization of the insurance market.

Significant efforts were made to educate committee members about the bill’s potential consequences, and we are encouraged by the decision not to advance it.

UCLA has released its report, The Unintended Consequences of Measure ULA, highlighting the significant negative impact Measure ULA has had on Los Angeles' commercial real estate market. Since its enactment, high-value property transactions have declined sharply, with non-single-family sales—including commercial, industrial, and multifamily properties—falling by 30–50%.

This slowdown in property turnover threatens L.A.’s ability to revitalize struggling commercial and industrial areas, develop new housing, and sustain strong property tax revenues. By discouraging sales of higher-priced properties, the measure disrupts economic activity and undermines both housing affordability and the city’s long-term fiscal health.

CBPA partner California Commission for Disability Access (CCDA) is hosting a webinar on their Accessible Guide to Parking for Business Owners and Operators, a toolkit that promotes awareness, summarizes requirements, and offers resources to help avoid those complaints involving issues with accessible parking and accessible routes. 

The webinar will take place on April 22nd at noon and will be an educational opportunity for business owners and operators to learn more about accessibility parking compliance.