The California Building Industry Association (CBIA) 2025 list of Housing Creators and Housing Killers, identifies state bills that could either accelerate or obstruct homebuilding.

The Housing Creators list highlights legislation aimed at making it easier to deliver new housing by reducing regulatory delays and costs. AB 226 (Calderon and Alvarez) would stabilize the state's insurance market by authorizing the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank to issue bonds that bolster the capacity of the FAIR Plan, a move CBIA says will protect builders and homeowners from market instability. AB 712 (Wicks) would establish consistent standards to hold public agencies accountable when they block projects in violation of state housing laws, ensuring successful applicants can recover attorney's fees.

 

Other creator bills include AB 782 (Quirk-Silva), which eliminates costly requirements for duplicative bonding on subdivision improvements; AB 1007 (Rubio), which expedites project approvals by shortening state agency review times; and AB 1276 (Carrillo), which locks in regulations at the time of project submission, giving developers more certainty. Meanwhile, SB 489 (Arreguín) improve the permitting process by requiring agencies to post application requirements online and adhere to timelines outlined in existing streamlining laws.

In contrast, the Housing Killers list features bills CBIA argues would make construction prohibitively expensive or unpredictable. AB 52 (Aguiar-Curry) would expand CEQA tribal consultations in a way that could create indefinite review cycles, potentially halting projects even after permits are approved. AB 902 (Schultz) would force planning agencies to duplicate habitat studies, adding costs and delays to both housing and transportation projects.

AB 1157 (Kalra) proposes expanding rent control to single-family homes and condos, which CBIA warns would discourage both private and institutional investment in rental housing. SB 601 (Allen) would impose new water quality regulations and enable broad lawsuits against builders, while removing safeguards requiring regulators to weigh housing needs and economic feasibility. SB 682 (Allen) grants the Department of Toxic Substances Control sweeping authority over building products, potentially banning critical materials like electrical cabling and heat pumps.

https://cbia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Housing-Creators-_-Housing-Killers-2025-Press-Release.pdf