Gavin Newsom has exempted most urban housing projects from environmental review by signing a budget bill that weakens the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). CEQA, enacted in 1970, was intended to ensure full reviews of environmental impacts for large development projects. However, its expansion allowed anyone to challenge developments, leading to delays and litigation. Newsom viewed this as detrimental for housing supply, stating that litigation and delays have resulted in too much demand compared to supply. He characterized these changes as a significant housing reform in modern history, forcing their inclusion in the state budget.
Gavin Newsom claims it's the most consequential housing reform in modern history that he just exempted most urban housing projects from environmental review, as the new state budget has some additions that hope to weaken the notorious CEQA.
CEQA was designed to ensure legislators conducted full reviews of all environmental impacts that might result from proposed large development projects, but the courts expanded it to allow any common folk to challenge developments.
Newsom has signed a budget bill that purports to be a major rollback of CEQA. Newsom is also crowing that this is the most consequential housing reform in modern history.
Newsom said, 'We've fallen prey to litigation as a strategy, delay as a strategy. The consequences of all of that are too much demand chasing too little supply. It's not complicated, this is Econ: 101.'
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