Originally posted to Unfamiliar Terrain
The Housing Crisis Act of 2019 (Senate Bill No. 330; Senator Skinner) goes into effect on January 1, 2020 and expires on January 1, 2025. It aims to address the statewide housing crisis by limiting the number of public hearings for new housing developments and reducing the timeline for permit review, placing limits on permit processing, limiting fees and exactions, and making it more difficult for local jurisdictions to deny or modify housing projects. To summarize, the Act:
The Act adds and amends various California Government Code sections, including the Permit Streamlining Act (Cal. Gov’t Code Section 65920 et. seq.) and the Housing Accountability Act (Cal. Gov’t Code Section 65589.5 et. seq.). It applies to “housing developments,” which include mixed-use projects with two-thirds or more of the square footage dedicated to residential use. Protection is limited under the Act. The vesting protections lapse if construction is not commenced within two and a half years from the date of final project approval (which period would be stayed during litigation) and/or the residential square footage or number of units is increased by 20 percent or more after the preliminary application is submitted, exclusive of any increase resulting from a density bonus. See the full text of the Act for additional provisions not summarized here (e.g., relocation assistance requirements).