The L.A. wildfires last January accounted for two of our four most-read stories last year. The passage of SB 79 and other housing legislation, along with the passing of parking guru Donald Shoup, were also high on the list.
In a battle over $1.2 million in attorney's fees in a case involving eight townhomes, court says Housing Accountability Act does not dominate. But it's not clear how the case will turn out.
SB 158, which lifts the CEQA exemption for some projects, apparently applies only to one project in the entire state: a proposed eight-story apartment building behind the iconic Santa Barbara Mission.
Proposed 2026 ballot measure would create two categories of projects: "essential projects" subject to tighter timelines and other projects subject to current law.
This year's CEQA reform will put more pressure on cities and counties to bulletproof their housing element EIRs. But it also creates a much "cleaner" exemption for infill housing than was previously available.
The city has won two ballot measures to raise the height limit around its longtime sports arena. Now, for the second time, an appellate court has struck down the associated environmental analysis -- and the ballot measure.
Most bills have to do with housing, seeking to further sweep away regulations that restrict housing approvals. One new law would subject cities to attorney's fees and additional fines if they violate housing reform laws.
