• After the California Legislature passed a high-profile package of 15 new housing laws in 2017, it has continued to focus on housing laws in 2018 to address the state's epic housing shortage.
• As Gov. Jerry Brown winds...more
10/8/2018
/ Affordable Housing ,
Bay Area ,
CEQA ,
CEQA Reform ,
Comment Period ,
Density Bonus ,
Governor Brown ,
Housing Market ,
Low Income Housing ,
Low-Income Issues ,
Multi-Family Development ,
New Legislation ,
Public Comment ,
Real Estate Development ,
State and Local Government ,
Urban Planning & Development
• One of the most notable laws in California's package of housing laws passed by the State Legislature and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2017 is SB 35, which requires most local governments to issue housing developers...more
2/16/2018
/ Affordable Housing ,
Approval Requirements ,
CEQA ,
Construction Workers ,
Environmental Review ,
Governor Brown ,
Housing Developers ,
Jurisdiction ,
Local Ordinance ,
Multi-Family Development ,
New Guidance ,
Project Labor Agreements ,
Wage and Hour
• California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed into law two bills that significantly reform California's Housing Accountability Act (HAA).
• Effective Jan. 1, 2018, these laws will significantly increase the ability of housing...more
10/2/2017
/ Administrative Fines ,
Affordable Housing ,
Approval Requirements ,
Attorney's Fees ,
Governor Brown ,
Housing Developers ,
Housing Market ,
Low Income Housing ,
Mixed-Use Zoning ,
New Legislation ,
Objective Standard ,
Real Estate Development ,
Reformation ,
Regulatory Burden ,
Urban Planning & Development
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Cal. Pub. Res. Code §21000 et seq., imposes significant procedural and substantive requirements on private and public projects throughout the state. However, even a state law...more
8/8/2017
/ CA Supreme Court ,
CEQA ,
Federal v State Law Application ,
High-Speed Rail ,
High-Speed Rail Authority ,
ICCTA ,
Preemption ,
Public Projects ,
Railroads ,
State and Local Government ,
Surface Transportation Board
The Los Angeles Department of City Planning is accepting comments on draft guidelines for a new transit-based affordable housing incentive program. The new program is required by Measure JJJ (adopted by voters in November...more
This is the fourth edition in an ongoing series of "Corner Briefings" highlighting urban infill legal tools and opportunities. These updates identify new legal cases, legislative updates, grant opportunities and other urban...more
After more than six years of review and the issuance of several draft guidance documents, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) published on Aug. 5, 2016, its final guidance on considering greenhouse gas...more
In California Building Industry Association (CBIA) v. Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), the California Supreme Court held that the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) generally does not require...more
The California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) published draft regulations interpreting California laws that protect birds of prey, and the nests and eggs of birds generally. These draft regulations, released on Aug. 14,...more
On May 27, 2015, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (collectively, the “agencies”) issued a final rule revising the regulatory definition of “Waters of the United...more
6/10/2015
/ Clean Water Act ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Final Rules ,
Groundwater ,
Navigable Waters ,
NPDES ,
Obama Administration ,
Oil Spills ,
Science Advisory Board ,
Sediment Control ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
US Geological Survey ,
Waters of the United States ,
Wetlands
This report analyzes all published opinions from 1997 through 2012 litigated to the California Court of Appeal or the California Supreme Court concerning the analytical validity of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) or...more
Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB 628 on Sept. 29, 2014, ushering in a long-promised heir to redevelopment agencies. The enrolled statute is now available online and offers much promise for kick-starting dormant projects and land...more