In 2024, California passed Assembly Bill 2904, authored by Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, to enhance transparency in local zoning decisions.

The law extends the public notice period for proposed zoning changes from 10 to 20 days, giving residents more time to review and respond to potential impacts on their neighborhoods.

AB 2904 aims to support fairer public participation in land use decisions by allowing for earlier and more informed community engagement.

In 2024, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1886, authored by Assemblymember David Alvarez (San Diego), to clarify how housing plans are approved in cities and counties. Every city and county in California is required to create a housing element as part of its General Plan, which shows how it will meet local housing needs. These plans must be reviewed and approved by the California Department of Housing and Community Development, or HCD.AB 1886 makes it clear that only HCD or a court can decide if a housing element is officially approved. Cities and counties can’t approve their own plans or claim they’re in compliance without state confirmation.AB 1886 helps ensure housing laws are applied the same way across the state and that cities and counties are held accountable for meeting their housing goals.

Housing development projects: objective standards: affordability and site criteria In 2024, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2243, authored by Assemblymember Chris Ward (San Diego), updating two key existing housing laws, AB 2011 and SB 6.

These laws support new housing by allowing residential development in commercial areas like office parks, retail centers, and regional malls.

AB 2243 expands eligibility for these projects, raising site size limits to 100 acres for regional malls and allowing housing near freeways, as long as strict air quality standards are met.

It also refines legal definitions and development standards to reduce confusion and streamline approvals. Cities can no longer deny qualifying projects on commercial or office sites, even if local zoning doesn’t currently allow housing there.

The law also adjusts density rules to encourage more housing near transit and in low-traffic areas, while limiting how much open space can be required for adaptive reuse.

AB 2243 narrows local discretion in specific cases to ensure statewide housing goals are met, part of California’s broader effort to address the housing shortage.

In California, Senate Bill 4, also known as Government Code § 65913.16, addresses affordable housing on lands owned by faith-based and educational institutions. Its primary aim is to use underutilized land to boost the state's affordable housing supply.
 
SB 4 requires that, upon the request of an applicant, a housing development project be a use “by right” on land owned by faith-based and educational institutions. “By right” means a development project that does not require a conditional use permit or other discretionary local government review. Eligible developments can receive density bonuses for increased housing density.

To qualify for this streamlined approval, developments under SB 4 must meet specific criteria, including ownership, zoning, affordable housing quotas, and environmental assessments.

Once criteria are met, projects receive streamlined approval, expediting the process. Design review is allowed to ensure compliance with objective standards only.
 
Authored by Senator Scott Wiener, SB 4 aims to provide an opportunity for the development of affordable housing on appropriate lands, addressing housing challenges in California.

Effective July 1, 2024, Senate Bill 684 changes how residential development projects of 10 or fewer lots or units proposed on multifamily zoned lots under 5 acres are approved by the City.

Authored by Senator Anna M. Caballero, SB 684 aims to expedite home construction on smaller lots and create more opportunities for the development of lower-cost housing.

SB 684 projects must meet specific criteria such as size, density, zoning, and other requirements. Once criteria are met, projects receive a streamlined and ministerial approval process for subdivisions, housing development applications, and building permits. The new streamlined approval process does not require public hearings and requires the City to use only objective standards.

AB 2011 creates a CEQA-exempt, ministerial, streamlined approval process for multifamily housing developments on sites within a  zone where office, retail or parking are the principally permitted use. Ministerial approval means that these projects are approved at an administrative/staff level, bypassing the need for review by the Planning Commission or City Council. Furthermore, AB 2011 includes provisions for density bonuses under the State Density Bonus Law, permitting increased residential density on eligible properties. Developers have the opportunity to utilize these bonuses to construct additional housing units or taller buildings, contingent upon providing defined public benefits, such as affordable housing.

Assembly Bill 2011 aims to do the following: 

• Override local General Plan and zoning designations
• Exempt projects from CEQA review 
• Establish a ministerial approval process for certain multifamily housing developments containing affordable units, even if those developments are situated on sites zoned and designated for commercial or retail use.
• Mandate prevailing wages for construction workers.