1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

Changes to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) have been sorely needed to address California's housing crisis. The recent legislative action exempting most urban infill housing developments from CEQA is a pivotal step forward. For too long, CEQA has enabled excessive litigation and delay for new housing construction, compounding our state's housing shortage. While environmental review serves an important purpose, its application to urban infill projects lacked balance and common sense. Building denser housing near existing development and transit is environmentally beneficial by reducing sprawl, commute times, and greenhouse gas emissions. By removing this major barrier, the state can finally accelerate the creation of desperately needed homes while still preserving robust environmental protections for other development types. This reform rationalizes the housing approval process and represents meaningful progress on tackling our longstanding housing affordability and supply challenges.