2024 Update: New Land Use Laws to Promote Housing Production
To help you keep up with developments in housing law, Cox Castle’s land use lawyers present a 4-part webinar series covering the new tools available in 2024 to promote housing production and protect housing development projects from delay and denial.
The 4 videos are organized as follows:
Webinar 1 - Released on March 12, 2024
- SB 423 (Updates to Streamlined, Ministerial Approval Requirements): Amendments to SB 35, which provides ministerial land use approvals for housing development projects meeting certain project and locational requirements
- Parking Reform: A new requirement for multifamily residential projects to “unbundle” parking from the residential unit, as well as requirements about shared parking
- Surplus Land Act Updates: Amendments to the Surplus Land Act, including expanding the transactions that are exempt from the SLA
Webinar 2 - Released on March 14, 2024
- SB 4: “By right” development for qualifying projects on land owned by a religious institution or an independent institution of higher education
- AB 1114: Expansion of post-entitlement streamlining provisions to include a broader list of permits and projects
- AB 821: New requirements for zoning consistency with general plans and extension of protections to non-residential projects
- Enforcement and Litigation: New laws expanding state housing enforcement and intervention rights, and a new litigation tool for 100% affordable projects (AB 1485, AB 434, SB 439)
Webinar 3 - Released on March 19, 2024
- AB 1633 (Reducing CEQA Delay and Litigation): For qualifying projects, new rights for developers to challenge a local government’s refusal to process a CEQA exemption or failure to adopt/certify a Mitigated Negative Declaration or Environmental Impact Report, and changes that disincentivize litigation against infill housing project
- CEQA Reform: New refinements to the California Environmental Quality Act, including clarification regarding what is a noise impact, a new affordable housing exemption, and other updates, as passed through the following bills: AB 1307, SB 69, AB 1449, AB 356, SB 91, AB 1490
Webinar 4 - Released on March 21, 2024
- Updates to State Density Bonus Law: Amendments to the State Density Bonus Law to increase the available density bonus and incentives/concessions, and clarify waiver requirements
- New requirements for replacement units for non-residential development
- Accessory Dwelling Units: New laws affecting ADUs, including prohibitions on owner-occupancy requirements
- Small Subdivisions (SB 684): Streamlined, ministerial approvals for development projects of 10 or fewer residential units
