Assembly Democrats Deliver Even More Results on Housing Affordability

SACRAMENTO — Speaker Robert Rivas and Assembly Democrats voted to pass three more significant housing bills on Friday, solutions that will speed-up home construction, cut red tape and lead to more lower-cost housing options for all Californians.

The following bills passed the Assembly and are now headed to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk for signature:

• Assembly Bill 253 (Ward, Rivas) significantly speeds up the approval process for building homes. This bill improves project approval time by empowering homeowners and developers to use licensed third-party professionals for plan checks when local agencies exceed 30-day review windows, speeding up the building process for small-scale housing.
• Assembly Bill 301 (Schiavo, Rivas) makes sure there is government accountability to hit deadlines and approve new construction on time. The bill holds state agencies accountable by requiring state departments reviewing post-entitlement housing permits to meet the same deadlines already imposed on local agencies.
• Assembly Bill 462 (Lowenthal, Rivas) will lead to more “ADU” units in backyards and on properties. This bill expedites the development of accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, in the Coastal Zone to increase the availability of housing in high cost areas.

READ: Housing Affordability Is Speaker Rivas’ Top Priority for 2025 and Here is How We Delivered

What Assemblymember Chris Ward Says

“AB 253 will help property owners cut through bureaucracy to get homes built faster while keeping safety in mind.  Accepting the status quo that good plans for small projects are resigned to a year-long review is unacceptable. California cannot solve its housing crisis if projects sit idle in permitting backlogs, which is why this bill gives another path forward without compromising oversight or accountability. It offers a pathway to keep construction moving, reduce costs, and make homes more affordable for Californians.”

What Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo Says

"Communities across California are struggling to pay the rent, afford to live where they grew up, and own their first home. As we work to develop more housing that’s affordable, we can’t wait for years as these projects get stuck in red tape. The Expediting State Housing Permits Act will help speed up the construction of urgently needed housing by requiring state agencies to follow the same timelines we ask of local governments. I’m proud to move this bill to the Governor’s desk so we can get more homes built faster, create housing that’s affordable, and support those rebuilding from the January fires."

What Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal Says

“AB 462 offers homeowners in California’s coastal zones a simpler, more streamlined process for adding an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) to their property. This legislation helps increase housing availability in high-cost areas while maintaining important protections for our coastal environments. As Los Angeles recovers from the catastrophic fires that occurred earlier this year, this will be an incredibly important tool to help in that recovery effort.”

Speaker Rivas and Assembly Deliver on Housing and Affordability

In this “Year of Housing Affordability,” Assembly Democrats took a major step forward, altering the trajectory of California’s housing crisis by introducing and passing several key new laws, including: 

• Streamlining Housing Development: Passed legislation to fast-track housing construction by reducing regulatory barriers, modernizing CEQA, and cutting costs — at no fiscal cost to the state.
• Improving Project Approval Time: Empowers homeowners and developers to use licensed third-party professionals for plan checks when local agencies exceed 30-day review windows, speeding up the building process for small-scale housing.
• Holding State Agencies Accountable: Requires state departments reviewing post-entitlement housing permits to meet the same deadlines already imposed on local agencies.
• Investing in Affordable Housing: Allocated $500 million for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and $120 million for multifamily housing developments.
• Combatting Homelessness: Invested 500 million through the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) program to provide shelter and services for unhoused Californians.
• Preventing Cost Increases for Future Housing: Enacted a temporary moratorium (2025–2031) on new state and local residential building standards that could increase construction costs, ensuring more affordability in the development process.
• Boosting ADU Development: Expedites the development of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in the Coastal Zone to increase the availability of housing in high cost areas.

The reforms passed this year mark a turning point in California’s housing crisis. With faster approvals, stronger investments and fewer barriers to building, Democrats in the Assembly are delivering the bold action Californians have been demanding to lower costs and expand housing options. 

The Assembly has laid the groundwork for lasting change, and remains committed to advancing policies that make our state more affordable, more livable, and more equitable for all Californians.

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Instagram: @caspeakerrivas

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