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Governor Signs Major CEQA Reform Legislation
The Governor worked with the Legislature to enact a major CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) housing package that includes significant reforms designed to streamline housing development and address the state's housing crisis. This package aims to reduce barriers to housing construction by exempting certain infill projects from CEQA review and streamlining the review process for others. Its goal is to expedite the construction of new homes and make housing more affordable by reducing red tape and litigation risks.
CDA has been part of a broad coalition throughout the year working on CEQA reform to help address California's housing crisis and improve our communities.
CDA Takes New Positions on Bills
As the legislative session begins to wind down, CDA continues to actively engage in policy discussions and has taken new positions on two bills that impact members.
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Senate Bill 692: Support - would authorize a local government to perform emergency summary abatement of abandoned or inoperable vehicles that are creating imminent health and safety hazards while retaining the due process requirements should such a vehicle be removed.
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Assembly Bill 380: Opposition – would significantly expand California’s price gouging law during states of emergency in ways that would burden local businesses and impose ambiguous and excessive penalties. It imposes commercial rent control and eviction bans on leases during declared emergencies. It would override negotiated commercial agreements, interfere with business-to-business contracts, and saddle private property owners with unrecoverable losses.
These bills, as well as several other CDA priorities, are currently pending in the Appropriations Committees awaiting their outcomes ahead of the August 29 deadline. CDA will continue to work with the authors and sponsors to ensure its priorities are advanced throughout the final month of the legislative session.
CDA Joins Climate Safe Infrastructure Coalition
CDA recently joined the Climate Safe Infrastructure Coalition, which is a broad coalition of local governments, public transit, infrastructure advocates and labor unions dedicated to reauthorizing California's Cap & Trade Program, while prioritizing investments in high-priority projects that deliver the greatest results for communities.
The Cap & Trade Program is a key element of California’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The program is set to expire in 2030, and lawmakers are in the midst of negotiations to reauthorize the program during this legislative session. The coalition emphasizes reauthorizing the program in ways that maximize greenhouse gas reductions, but also improve communities by creating middle-class jobs and avoiding increased consumer costs.
Some key investment areas proposed include:
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Transit & Rail Infrastructure: Continuous funding for regional rail projects, high-speed rail, zero-emission vehicle transitions, and public transit operations.
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Local Land Use & Housing: Support for transit-oriented development, converting underutilized commercial space to housing, and affordable housing initiatives.
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Clean Local Transportation: Funding for EV and hydrogen charging stations, active transportation networks, clean fleet transitions, and vehicle miles traveled mitigation banks.
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