Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, provides for the adoption and administration of zoning laws, ordinances, rules and regulations by counties and cities and the implementation of those general plans as may be in effect in those counties or cities. In that regard, existing law requires each local agency, by January 1, 2025, to develop a program for the preapproval of accessory dwelling unit plans.

This bill would require each local agency, as defined, to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans, whereby the local agency accepts single-family and multifamily plan submissions for preapproval and approves or denies the preapproval applications, as specified. The bill would require a large jurisdiction, as defined, to develop this program by July 1, 2026, and a small jurisdiction, as defined, to develop a program by January 1, 2028. The bill would authorize a local agency to charge a fee to an applicant for the preapproval of a single-family or multifamily residential housing plan, as specified. The bill would require the local agency to post preapproved single-family or multifamily residential housing plans and the contact information of the applicant on the local agencys internet website. The bill would require an application for preapproval to include a statement by the applicant that the applicant has sufficient authority, license, or ownership interest in the plan to submit the plan for preapproval and, if approved, posted as described above.

This bill would prohibit the preapproval program from applying to single-family or multifamily residential housing plans intended for use in certain communities and developments, as specified. The bill would require a local agency to either approve or deny an application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit, both as defined, within 30 days if the lot meets certain conditions and the application utilizes either a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit plan preapproved within the current triennial California Building Standards Code rulemaking cycle or a plan that is identical to a plan used in an application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit approved by the local agency within the current triennial California Building Standards Code rulemaking cycle. The bill would also provide that its provisions do not prevent a local agency from voluntarily accepting or admitting additional plans at higher densities in additional zoning districts into the preapproved housing plan program, at the local agencys discretion.

Existing law requires each county and each city to adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan for the physical development of the county or city, and specified land outside its boundaries, that includes, among other specified mandatory elements, a housing element. That law requires the planning agency of a city or county to provide by April 1 of each year an annual report to, among other entities, the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation. Existing law requires the annual report to include, among other things, the citys or countys progress in meeting its share of regional housing needs, as specified.

This bill, beginning on April 1, 2027, for large jurisdictions and beginning on April 1, 2029, for small jurisdictions, would require the local agency to include in its annual report the number of units of residential housing that are approved using a preapproved housing plan pursuant to this act.

By imposing new duties on local agencies with regard to developing a preapproval program and its annual report, the bill would create a state-mandated local program.

Existing law, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA does not apply to the approval of ministerial projects.

To the extent that the ministerial review process established by the bill would apply to final, discretionary approval of an application for a single-family or multifamily housing unit, the bill would exempt those projects from CEQA.

The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, provides for the adoption and administration of zoning laws, ordinances, rules and regulations by counties and cities and the implementation of those general plans as may be in effect in those counties or cities. In that regard, existing law requires each local agency, by January 1, 2025, to develop a program for the preapproval of accessory dwelling unit plans.

This bill would require each local agency, as defined and by July 1, 2026, defined, to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans, whereby the local agency accepts single-family and multifamily plan submissions for preapproval and approves or denies the preapproval applications, as specified. The bill would require a large jurisdiction, as defined, to develop this program by July 1, 2026, and a small jurisdiction, as defined, to develop a program by January 1, 2028. The bill would authorize a local agency to charge a fee to an applicant for the preapproval of a single-family or multifamily residential housing plan, as specified. The bill would require the local agency to post preapproved single-family or multifamily residential housing plans and the contact information of the applicant on the local agencys internet website. The bill would require an application for preapproval to include a statement by the applicant that the applicant has sufficient authority, license, or ownership interest in the plan to submit the plan for preapproval and, if approved, posted as described above. The

This bill would prohibit the preapproval program from applying to single-family or multifamily residential housing plans intended for use in certain communities and developments, as specified. The bill would require a local agency to either approve or deny an application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit, both as defined, within 30 days if the lot meets certain conditions and the application utilizes either a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit plan preapproved within the current triennial California Building Standards Code rulemaking cycle or a plan that is identical to a plan used in an application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit approved by the local agency within the current triennial California Building Standards Code rulemaking cycle. The bill would also provide that its provisions do not prevent a local agency from voluntarily accepting or admitting additional plans at higher densities in additional zoning districts into the preapproved housing plan program, at the local agencys discretion. By imposing new duties on local agencies, the bill would create a state-mandated local program.

Existing law, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA does not apply to the approval of ministerial projects.

To the extent that the ministerial review process established by the bill would apply to final, discretionary approval of an application for a single-family or multifamily housing unit, the bill would exempt those projects from CEQA.

The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, provides for the adoption and administration of zoning laws, ordinances, rules and regulations by counties and cities and the implementation of those general plans as may be in effect in those counties or cities. In that regard, existing law requires each local agency, by January 1, 2025, to develop a program for the preapproval of accessory dwelling unit plans.

This bill would require each local agency, as defined and by July 1, 2026, to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans, whereby the local agency accepts single-family and multifamily plan submissions for preapproval and approves or denies the preapproval applications, as specified. The bill would authorize a local agency to charge a fee to an applicant for the preapproval of a single-family or multifamily residential housing plan, as specified. The bill would require the local agency to post preapproved single-family or multifamily residential housing plans and the contact information of the applicant on the local agencys internet website. The bill would require an application for preapproval to include a statement by the applicant that the applicant has sufficient authority, license, or ownership interest in the plan to submit the plan for preapproval and, if approved, posted as described above. The bill would prohibit the preapproval program from applying to single-family or multifamily residential housing plans intended for use in certain communities and developments, as specified. The bill would require a local agency to either approve or deny an application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit, both as defined, within 30 days if the lot meets certain conditions and the application utilizes either a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit plan preapproved within the current triennial California Building Standards Code rulemaking cycle or a plan that is identical to a plan used in an application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit approved by the local agency within the current triennial California Building Standards Code rulemaking cycle. The bill would also provide that its provisions do not prevent a local agency from voluntarily accepting or admitting additional plans at higher densities in additional zoning districts into the preapproved housing plan program, at the local agencys discretion. By imposing new duties on local agencies, the bill would create a state-mandated local program.

Existing law, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA does not apply to the approval of ministerial projects.

To the extent that the ministerial review process established by the bill would apply to final, discretionary approval of an application for a single-family or multifamily housing unit, the bill would exempt those projects from CEQA.

The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, provides for the adoption and administration of zoning laws, ordinances, rules and regulations by counties and cities and the implementation of those general plans as may be in effect in those counties or cities. In that regard, existing law requires each local agency, by January 1, 2025, to develop a program for the preapproval of accessory dwelling unit plans.

This bill would require each local agency, as defined and by July 1, 2026, to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans, whereby the local agency accepts single-family and multifamily plan submissions for preapproval and approves or denies the preapproval applications, as specified. The bill would authorize a local agency to charge a fee to an applicant for the preapproval of a single-family or multifamily residential housing plan, as specified. The bill would require the local agency to post preapproved single-family or multifamily residential housing plans and the contact information of the applicant on the local agencys internet website. The bill would prohibit the preapproval program from applying to single-family or multifamily residential housing plans intended for use in certain communities and developments, as specified. The bill would require a local agency to either approve or deny an application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit, both as defined, within 30 days if the lot meets certain conditions and the application utilizes either a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit plan preapproved within the current triennial California Building Standards Code rulemaking cycle or a plan that is identical to a plan used in an application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit approved by the local agency within the current triennial California Building Standards Code rulemaking cycle. The bill would also provide that its provisions do not prevent a local agency from voluntarily accepting or admitting additional plans at higher densities in additional zoning districts into the preapproved housing plan program, at the local agencys discretion. By imposing new duties on local agencies, the bill would create a state-mandated local program.

The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, provides for the adoption and administration of zoning laws, ordinances, rules and regulations by counties and cities and the implementation of those general plans as may be in effect in those counties or cities. In that regard, existing law requires each local agency, by January 1, 2025, to develop a program for the preapproval of accessory dwelling unit plans.

This bill would require each local agency, as defined and by January July 1, 2026, to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans, whereby the local agency accepts single-family and multifamily plan submissions for preapproval and approves or denies the preapproval applications, as specified. The bill would authorize a local agency to charge a fee to an applicant for the preapproval of a single-family or multifamily residential housing plan, as specified. The bill would require the local agency to post preapproved single-family or multifamily residential housing plans and the contact information of the applicant on the local agencys internet website. The bill would require a local agency to either approve or deny an application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit unit, both as defined, within 30 days that if the lot meets certain conditions and the application utilizes either a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit plan preapproved within the current triennial California Building Standards Code rulemaking cycle or a plan that is identical to a plan used in an application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit approved by the local agency within the current triennial California Building Standards Code rulemaking cycle. The bill would also provide that its provisions do not prevent a local agency from voluntarily accepting or admitting additional plans at higher densities in additional zoning districts into the preapproved housing plan program, at the local agencys discretion. By imposing new duties on local agencies, the bill would create a state-mandated local program.

The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, provides for the adoption and administration of zoning laws, ordinances, rules and regulations by counties and cities and the implementation of those general plans as may be in effect in those counties or cities. In that regard, existing law requires each local agency, by January 1, 2025, to develop a program for the preapproval of accessory dwelling unit plans.

This bill would require each local agency, by January 1, 2026, to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans, whereby the local agency accepts single-family and multifamily plan submissions for preapproval and approves or denies the preapproval applications, as specified. The bill would authorize a local agency to charge a fee to an applicant for the preapproval of a single-family or multifamily residential housing plan, as specified. The bill would require the local agency to post preapproved single-family or multifamily residential housing plans and the contact information of the applicant on the local agencys internet website. The bill would require a local agency to either approve or deny an application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit within 30 days that utilizes either a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit plan preapproved within the current triennial California Building Standards Code rulemaking cycle or a plan that is identical to a plan used in an application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit approved by the local agency within the current triennial California Building Standards Code rulemaking cycle. By imposing new duties on local agencies, the bill would create a state-mandated local program.

The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Senator Anna Caballero, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular Session

AB 1206 (Harabedian) - Single-family and multifamily housing units: preapproved plans

Bill Summary:

AB 1206 would require local agencies to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans, as specified, and include information on their annual progress reports (APRs) regarding the number of residential housing units that are approved using a preapproved housing plan.

Fiscal Impact:

• The Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) indicates that this bill would impose ongoing workload to collect, validate, and store reported data on the number of residential housing units that are approved using a preapproved housing plan, and provide technical assistance to local agencies, as well as one-time costs to update the housing element APR form and to update IT systems. HCD estimates that costs associated with this bill would be absorbable, assuming resources are approved for other APR-related bills that are pending in the Legislature. Staff estimates that ongoing workload directly attributable to this bill could exceed $50,000 in staff time, and first-year costs could be as high as $100,000 if no other APR bills are enacted and HCD would still be responsible for one-time fixed costs to update forms and IT systems, and to provide ongoing data collection and technical assistance services. See Staff Comments. (General Fund)
  
• Local agencies would incur state-mandated costs to establish a program to preapprove single-family and multifamily residential housing plans, to provide for a streamlined, ministerial approval process for approval of projects using preapproved plans, and include information on their APRs regarding the number of residential units approved using preapproved plans. Any local costs would not be state-reimbursable because local agencies have general authority to charge and adjust planning and permitting fees to cover their administrative costs associated with new planning mandates. (local funds)

Background:

In an attempt to increase standardization and predictability in housing approvals, there has been increased interest at the state and local level in preapproved plans for housing development. Existing law, as enacted by AB 1332 (J. Carrillo, Chap. 759/2023), requires all cities and counties to develop a program to preapprove accessory dwelling unit (ADU) plans by January 1, 2025. Local agencies must review the plans for applicants for preapproval just as they would for an ADU proposed for a specific site, and may charge the same permitting fees to review a preapproval plan proposal as they would a site-specific ADU plan. Once a plan is preapproved, the local agency must post the plan on its website, along with the contact information provided by the applicant. Existing law requires a local agency to ministerially approve or deny an application for a detached ADU, pursuant to existing law, but must take action within 30 days for an ADU using a preapproved plan, rather than the current 60 day deadline for other ADU applications.

Existing law requires each city and county to submit an APR to HCD and the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) by April 1 of each year that includes specified information relating to the status and progress of implementing the general plan, including steps taken to meet the jurisdiction’s share of regional housing needs pursuant to its housing element. Among this information, cities and counties must report zoning and rezoning information, specified information regarding density bonuses granted, the number of housing development applications received in the prior year and the number of proposed units included in those developments, the number of units approved and disapproved in the prior year, the number of housing units that were demolished in the prior year, and the net number of new housing units issued a completed entitlement, building permit, or certificate of occupancy in the housing element cycle, and the income category of each unit.

Proposed Law:

AB 1206 would require each city and county to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans by July 1, 2026, and specify that the bill’s provisions would not apply to small jurisdictions until January 1, 2028. Specifically, this program would:

• Require the local agency to accept single-family and multifamily residential housing plans for 2-10 units for preapproval from any applicant without restriction.
• Require the local agency to approve or deny the application for preapproval pursuant to applicable state and local housing regulations.
• Authorize the local agency to charge the applicant the same fees it would charge an applicant for review and approval of a comparable residential development.
• Require an application for preapproval to include a statement that the applicant has sufficient authority, license, or ownership interest in the plan, as specified.
• Require the local agency to post the preapproved plans on the agency's website, with the contact information of the party that submitted the plans included, as specified.
• Require the local agency to remove a preapproved housing plan from its website within 30 days of receiving a request from the applicant.
• Authorizes a local agency to admit plans developed and approved by the local agency independently of this program into the preapproved program.
• Specify that a local agency is not required to post a plan that is not submitted by an applicant, and authorize a local agency to voluntarily accept plans at higher densities in additional zoning districts at the local agency’s discretion.
• Specify that the preapproval program would not apply to residential housing plans intended for use in a master-planned community, a planned unit development, or a similar large-scale subdivision development, as specified.
• Require a local agency to approve or deny an application for a single-family or multifamily housing development ministerially and without discretionary review within 30 days if the lot for which the application is proposed meets the soil conditions, topography, flood zone, zoning regulations, and design review standards for which the preapproved plan was designed and the applicant uses either of the following:
  • Plans preapproved pursuant to the program, as long as they were approved by the local agency within the current triennial California Building Standards Code (CBSC) rulemaking cycle.
  • Plans that are identical to a plan that was preapproved pursuant to the bill, as long as they were approved by the local agency within the current CBSC rulemaking cycle.
• Require large jurisdictions to include information in its APR on the number of units of residential housing that are approved using a preapproved housing plan, beginning on April 1, 2027. A small jurisdiction, defined as a county with a population of less than 250,000 or a city with a population of less than 25,000 as of January 1, 2019, would be required to include that information in its APR beginning on April 1, 2029.

Related Legislation:

AB 253 (Ward), which is currently pending on this Committee’s Suspense File, would authorize an applicant for a small-scale residential building permit to retain a “private professional provider” under certain circumstances to perform plan-checking functions, as specified. The bill would require cities and counties to include information in their APRs regarding the number of residential permits reviewed by the local agency and private providers, respectively.

AB 670 (Quirk-Silva), which is currently pending on this Committee’s Suspense File, includes a provision that would require local agencies to include additional information regarding the demolition and replacement of housing units in their APRs.

AB 726 (Avila Farias), which is currently pending on this Committee’s Suspense File, would authorize cities and counties to include the number of units of deed-restricted affordable housing that have been substantially rehabilitated in their APRs.

AB 1131 (Ta), which is currently pending on this Committee’s Suspense File, would authorize cities and counties to include the number of units approved for congregate housing for the elderly for up to 15% of their RHNA for any income category in their APRs.

AB 1332 (J. Carrillo), Chap. 759/2023, required local agencies to develop a program for the preapproval of accessory dwelling unit plans by January 1, 2025, as specified.

Staff Comments:

HCD notes that there are multiple bills pending in the Legislature that would revise the information that local agencies include in their APRs, including this bill, as well as AB 253 (Ward), AB 670 (Quirk-Silva), AB 726 (Avila Farias), and AB 1131 (Ta), all of which would create ongoing staff workload for HCD’s Data and Innovation Unit for new data collection and coordination with local agencies, as well as one-time costs to make changes to the APR form and IT systems. HCD estimates that the one-time costs of $100,000 for APR form updates and IT changes, and ongoing staff workload costs of $230,000 for 1.0 PY of new staff that have been identified as the fiscal impacts for AB 670 (Quirk-Silva) should be sufficient to accommodate the workload associated with all of these APR-related bills combined, and any additional residual costs would be absorbable. As such, staff notes that the costs directly attributable to this bill would likely only represent a portion of the one-time and ongoing costs reported by the department if all of the APR-related bills are enacted. If this bill is the only bill enacted that impacts HCD’s workload, however, staff estimates that HCD would likely incur General Fund costs in the range of $50,000 to $100,000 in the first year, and ongoing administrative costs of up to $50,000 annually for a partial PY of staff time.

By imposing new duties on cities and counties to establish a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans, this bill imposes a state-mandated local program. Staff notes, however, that any local costs mandated by this bill would not be subject to state reimbursement because local agencies have the authority to charge and adjust planning and permitting fees as necessary to cover administrative costs. Existing law authorizes planning and zoning fees to “include the costs reasonably necessary to prepare and revise the plans and policies that a local agency is required to adopt before it can make any necessary findings and determinations.” Case law and previous decisions by the Commission on State Mandates support the position that local governments’ planning costs are not reimbursable when the state imposes new planning mandates.

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING

Senator Aisha Wahab, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular

Bill No: AB 1206 Hearing Date: 7/15/2025

SUBJECT: Single-family and multifamily housing units: preapproved plans

DIGEST: This bill requires each local agency to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans for public use.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Requires each local agency to develop a program for the preapproval of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) by January 1, 2025, as follows:
   1. Establishes that the local agency must:
      1. Accept ADU plans for preapproval from any applicant without restriction; and,
      2. Approve or deny the application for preapproval pursuant to applicable state and local housing regulations.
   2. Allows the local agency to charge the applicant permitting fees for the review of the plans submitted for preapproval, as long as the fees are the same as those that would be charged to review the plans if a standard ADU application were filed;
   3. Requires the local agency to post the preapproved ADU plans on the agency’s website, with the contact information of the party that submitted the plans included. The posting of the plans shall not be considered an endorsement of the applicant, or an approval of the applicant’s application. The local agency is required to remove preapproved plans within 30 days, at the applicant’s request; and
   4. Allows the local agency to admit ADU plans developed and approved by the local agency independently of this program, into the preapproved ADU program.
2. Requires a local agency to approve or deny an application for an ADU ministerially and without discretionary review within 30 days, if the applicant uses either of the following:
   1. ADU plans preapproved pursuant to the program established in 1), as long as they were approved by the local agency within the current triennial California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) rulemaking cycle.
   2. ADU plans that are identical to a plan that was preapproved pursuant to 1), as long as they were approved by the local agency within the current CBSC rulemaking cycle.

This bill:

1. Requires each local agency to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans by July 1, 2026, as follows:
   1. Establishes that the local agency must;
      1. Accept single-family and multifamily residential housing plans for 2-10 units for preapproval from any applicant without restriction; and
      2. Approve or deny the application for preapproval pursuant to applicable state and local housing regulations.
   2. Allows the local agency to charge the applicant permitting fees for the review of the plans submitted for preapproval, as long as the fees are the same as those that would be charged to review the plans if a standard permit application were filed;
   3. Requires that an application for preapproval includes a statement by the applicant indicating that the applicant has sufficient authority, license or ownership in the plan to submit the plan for preapproval, as specified.
   4. Requires the local agency to post the preapproved plans on the agency's website, with the contact information of the party that submitted the plans included, as specified.
   5. Allows the local agency to admit plans developed and approved by the local agency independently of this program into the preapproved program.
   6. Provides that a local agency is not required to post a plan that is not submitted by an applicant.
2. Requires a local agency to approve or deny an application for a single-family or multifamily housing development ministerially and without discretionary review within 30 days if the lot for which the application is proposed meets the soil conditions, topography, flood zone, zoning regulations, and design review standards for which the preapproved plan was designed and the applicant uses either of the following:
   1. Plans preapproved pursuant to the program established in 1), as long as they were approved by the local agency within the current triennial CBSC rulemaking cycle; or
   2. Plans that are identical to a plan that was preapproved pursuant to 1), as long as they were approved by the local agency within the current CBSC rulemaking cycle.
3. Provides that the preapproval program shall not apply to single-family or multifamily residential housing plans intended for use in master-planned communities or large scale developments, as specified.

Background

The California Building Standards Code. Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations contains building standards and regulations as adopted by the CBSC. These standards include, among other requirements, structural standards for building safety (the Building Code), fire safety standards (the Fire Code), energy efficiency standards (the Energy Code), and standards for green buildings (CalGreen). The BSC updates the Building Standards Code on a three-year cycle—the current standards that went into effect on January 1, 2023. Once adopted at the state level, cities and counties in California then each enact an ordinance to adopt the codes. New construction and improvements to existing buildings must comply with the current building codes, and improvements to an existing building may trigger additional code upgrades for other parts of a building.

Comments

1. Author’s Statement. According to the author, “Home is more than just walls and a roof—it is the foundation of stability, security, and opportunity. Yet, for too many families, particularly those in low-income communities and communities of color, the dream of safe and affordable housing remains out of reach. The devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires only deepened these inequities, displacing thousands and further straining an already dire housing crisis. AB 1206 streamlines the approval process for single-family and multifamily housing by requiring local agencies to establish pre-approved housing plan programs by July 1, 2026. By doing so, homeowners will have access to a set list of housing models they can choose from to quickly and efficiently rebuild. This bill provides a standardized path for housing development, cutting through red tape so that rebuilding efforts and new construction can move forward without costly and burdensome delays. By making the rebuilding process more accessible and efficient, AB 1206 ensures that communities can recover faster and that families can once again find stability in a place to call home.”
2. California’s housing crisis. According to the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), California’s housing crisis is a half-century in the making.^[1] After decades of underproduction, supply is far behind need and housing, and rental costs are soaring. As a result, millions of Californians must make hard decisions about paying for housing at the expense of food, health care, child care, and transportation, directly impacting the quality of life in the state. One in three households in the state doesn’t earn enough money to meet their basic needs. In 2024, over 187,000 Californians experienced homelessness on a given night.^[2]

To meet this housing need, HCD determined that California must plan for more than 2.5 million new homes, and no less than one million of those homes must be affordable to lower-income households, in the 6^th Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) Cycle. By contrast, housing production in the past decade has been under 100,000 units per year – including less than 10,000 units of affordable housing per year.^[3]

1. Preapproved Plans. In an attempt to increase standardization and predictability in housing approvals, there has been increased interest at the state and local level in preapproved plans for housing development.
   
   Building on the success of prior ADU laws, AB 1332 (Juan Carrillo), Chapter 759, Statutes of 2023, established a preapproved plan program for ADUs from which this bill draws heavily. Under AB 1332, local governments were required to develop a program for the preapproval of ADU plans by January 1, 2025. Under this program, anyone can submit plans for preapproval, and the local government must review them based on existing state ADU and building code standards. The local agency is allowed to charge the same permitting fees as they would for a regular ADU application to review submittals for ADUs requesting preapproval. Once approved, these plans must be posted on the local government’s website, along with the applicant’s contact information (though the agency isn’t responsible for its accuracy). Applicants can also request their ADU plans be removed if they no longer wish to participate in the program. Local governments are also allowed to include their own preapproved ADU plans or ones approved by other local governments in California in the preapproved plan program, since the same ADU standards apply statewide. If a local government receives an application for a detached ADU using a preapproved or previously approved plan from the current building code cycle, the local government must approve or deny the permit application within 30 days, without discretionary review. Because this program just went into effect on January 1, 2025, it is still too early to tell how successful or impactful it will be in terms of increasing ADU production.
2. Experiments in preapproval. More recently, the City of Los Angeles (LA) launched a local “Small Lots, Big Impact” initiative to encourage for-sale housing on small lots.^[4] Through this initiative, LA is hosting a design competition for designers to develop plans for multiple small-scale housing units on individual lots, with the winning designs eventually serving as pre-approved plans for all developers to use.^[5] The LA housing department anticipates that these pre-approved designs will be for one- to three-story developments ranging from fourplexes to 20 unit proposals.^[6] LA anticipates that this program may help the Pacific Palisades neighborhood rebuild more quickly after thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed in January’s Palisades fire.

This bill would build off of the precedent set by AB 1332 (Juan Carrillo) and would be similar to LA’s preapproved plan initiative. It would take the language from AB 1332, establishing a local program for the preapproval of housing, but apply it to single-family and multi-family homes, rather than just ADUs. Under this bill, local governments would be required to set up a program for the preapproval of single-family and multi-family homes, and then expedite the approvals process for applicants who later want to use those preapproved designs, by requiring local governments to review them within 30 days. As written, local governments would need to set up this program by January 1, 2026. As is the case in AB 1332, local governments would be allowed to charge the same permitting fees as they would for the standard approval of similar housing units to review these plans submitted for preapproval. Project applicants may then use these preapproved plans, or plans identical to them, when applying for housing developments of their own. This preapproved program may help to standardize and simplify the approvals process for homeowners and developers by increasing approvals certainty so long as they stick to the preapproved plans, and by expediting the approvals process.

1. Monitoring progress. This bill requires each local agency to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and small multifamily (2-10 residential units) dwellings. This bill requires local agencies to accept applications for preapproval and authorizes local agencies to charge permitting fees that would be applicable to the project if it were a regular development application. While the bill establishes broad parameters for preapproval, it does not strictly define the contours of what a preapproval program must look like. This provides local agencies some latitude to design a program that will be effective and appropriate in their area. However, given the latitude provided to local agencies, the Committee may wish to consider adding a reporting requirement in order to monitor implementation of the bill.
2. Large and small jurisdictions. This bill requires each local agency in the state to develop a program for preapproval of single-family and small multifamily dwellings. The resources available to LA along with the housing demand in LA is not comparable to the resources and demand in Modoc County. Establishing uniform requirements could place tremendous burdens on rural agencies that see relatively few housing permits each year. The Committee may wish to consider whether this bill should apply to equally to large and small jurisdictions.
3. Opposition. The League of California Cities is in opposition along with several other local agencies. The League notes that the bill only provides six months for local agencies to prepare a program and urges the author to consider giving local agencies more time to implement the preapproval program.
4. Committee amendments. To address the items raised above, the author has agreed to accept the following amendments:
   1. Require local agencies to include information regarding the number of developments that use preapproved applications in the annual progress report (APR) beginning in 2027.
   2. Delay implementation of the bill until 2028 in small counties, defined as counties with a total population of less than 250,000. These counties comprise roughly 2.5 million residents, or less than 7% of California’s total population.
5. Double Referral. This bill was also referred to the Local Government Committee, where it was approved on a 5-2 vote on June 18, 2025.

Related/Prior Legislation

AB 1332 (Juan Carrillo, Chapter 759, Statutes of 2023) - established a similar preapproved plan program for ADUs.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: Yes

POSITIONS: (Communicated to the committee before noon on Wednesday,

July 9, 2025.)

SUPPORT:

Abundant Housing LA

Associated General Contractors, California Chapters

California Apartment Association

California Yimby

Circulate San Diego

Habitat for Humanity California

Inner City Law Center

Institute for Responsive Government Action

South Pasadena Residents for Responsible Growth

Spur

Student Homes Coalition

The Two Hundred

Zillow Group

OPPOSITION:

Association of California Cities - Orange County (ACC-OC)

California Building Officials

City of Laguna Niguel

City of Lake Forest

City of Los Alamitos

City of Santa Clarita

City of Thousand Oaks

League of California Cities

-- END --

1. California Department of Housing and Community Development, A Home for Every Californian: 2022 Statewide Housing Plan. March 2022, https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/94729ab1648d43b1811c1698a748c136 ↑

2. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Point in Time Counts. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/ahar/2023-ahar-part-1-pit-estimates-of-homelessness-in-the-us.html ↑

3. https://www.hcd.ca.gov/policy-research/housing-challenges.shtml ↑

4. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-03-05/los-angeles-launches-effort-to-encourage-starter-homes-on-city-owned-vacant-lots ↑

5. IBID. ↑

6. IBID. ↑

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Senator María Elena Durazo, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular

Single-family and multifamily housing units: preapproved plans

Requires each city and county to establish a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans by July 1, 2026.

Background

Land use. The California Constitution allows cities and counties to “make and enforce within its limits, all local, police, sanitary and other ordinances and regulations not in conflict with general laws.” It is from this fundamental power (commonly called the police power) that cities and counties derive their authority to regulate behavior to preserve the health, safety, and welfare of the public—including land use authority.

Cities and counties use their police power to enact zoning ordinances that shape development, such as setting maximum heights and densities for housing units, minimum numbers of required parking spaces, setbacks to preserve privacy, lot coverage ratios to increase open space, and others. These ordinances can also include conditions on development to address aesthetics, community impacts, or other particular site-specific consideration. Zoning ordinances and other development decisions must be consistent with the city or county’s general plan.

Local governments have broad authority to define the specific approval processes needed to satisfy these considerations. Some housing projects can be permitted by city or county planning staff “ministerially” or without further approval from elected officials, but most large housing projects require “discretionary” approvals from local governments, such as a conditional use permit or a change in zoning laws. This process requires hearings by the local planning commission and public notice and may require additional approvals, such as design review.

State Housing Law. Prior to 1962, the Legislature established minimum building requirements for dwellings in statutory form, and these requirements only applied to incorporated cities, unless a county voluntarily adopted them. In 1962, the Legislature enacted State Housing Law, which provides requirements and procedures for uniform statewide code enforcement to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the public and occupants of housing and accessory buildings. Among other things, State Housing Law delegates responsibility to state administrative agencies for the adoption of building standards, applies state building codes uniformly, and directs local agencies’ administration of code enforcement.

Building codes. The California Building Standards Code (Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations) contains building standards and regulations as adopted by the California Building Standards Commission (BSC). These standards include, among other requirements, structural standards for building safety (the Building Code), fire safety standards (the Fire Code), energy efficiency standards (the Energy Code), and standards for green buildings (CalGreen).

The BSC updates the Building Standards Code on a three-year cycle—the BSC will publish new standards on or before July 1, 2025 that will go into effect on January 1, 2026. Once adopted at the state level, cities and counties in California then enact an ordinance to adopt the codes.

New construction and improvements to existing buildings must comply with the current building codes, and improvements to an existing building may trigger additional code upgrades for other parts of a building.

City and county building departments enforce the provisions of the State Housing Law, the California Building Standards Code, and the other specified rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the State Housing Law.

Pre-approved plans. In an attempt to increase standardization and predictability in housing approvals, there has been increased interest at the local and state level in “preapproved” plans for housing development, particularly in the context of accessory dwelling units (ADUs). Several local governments, including the City of Encinitas and the City of San Jose, have voluntarily established programs where they make available plans for ADUs that homeowners can use to build an ADU without commissioning an architect and with less review at the local level.

Building on existing ADU laws, AB 1332 (Juan Carrillo, 2023) required cities and counties to develop a program for the preapproval of ADU plans by January 1, 2025. Under this program, anyone can submit plans for preapproval, and the city or county must review them based on existing state ADU and building code standards. The city or county may charge the same permitting fees as they would for a regular ADU application to review submittals for ADUs requesting preapproval. Once approved, the city or county must post these plans on its website, along with the applicant’s contact information (though the agency isn’t responsible for its accuracy). Applicants can also request their ADU plans be removed if they no longer wish to participate in the program. Cities or counties are also allowed to include their own preapproved ADU plans or ones approved by other local governments in California in the preapproved plan program, since the same ADU standards apply statewide. If a city or county receives an application for a detached ADU using a preapproved or previously approved plan from the current building code cycle, the local government must approve or deny the permit application within 30 days, without discretionary review.

The author wants to expand the preapproval program to other types of housing.

Proposed Law

Assembly Bill 1206 requires each city and county to establish a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans by July 1, 2026 for buildings containing up to 10 units.

Under this program, cities and counties must accept submissions of plans for preapproval. Cities and counties must approve or deny these applications for preapproval based on established state and local housing regulations. They may also charge applicants the same permitting fees they would for standard housing unit approvals when reviewing and approving a preapproved plan.

Once approved, local agencies must post preapproved single-family and multifamily residential housing plans on their websites. AB 1206 provides that this posting does not constitute an endorsement of the applicant or approval of their specific housing unit application. Agencies must also post the applicant's contact information, as provided by the applicant. A local agency must remove a preapproved housing plan from its website within 30 days if the applicant requests its removal.

AB 1206 also allows cities and counties develop and preapprove their own plans for inclusion in the program, and to voluntarily accept or admit additional plans at higher densities in other zoning districts into the preapproved housing plan program, using their discretion.

The bill excludes from the preapproval program single-family or multifamily residential housing plans for intended for use in master-planned communities, planned unit developments, or similar large-scale developments that involve subdividing land for multiple new housing units.

A city or county must ministerially approve or deny an application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit without discretionary review if the lot meets the soil conditions, topography, flood zone, zoning regulations, and design review standards for which the preapproved plan was originally designed. If the application uses either a plan preapproved by the city or county within the current building code cycle, or a plan identical to one previously approved by the city or county within the same rulemaking cycle, the city or county must approve or deny the application within 30 days of receiving a completed application.

AB 1206 includes findings and declarations to support its purposes.

Comments

1. Purpose of the bill. According to the author, “Home is more than just walls and a roof—it is the foundation of stability, security, and opportunity. Yet, for too many families, particularly those in low-income communities and communities of color, the dream of safe and affordable housing remains out of reach. The devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires only deepened these inequities, displacing thousands and further straining an already dire housing crisis.

“AB 1206 streamlines the approval process for single-family and multifamily housing by requiring local agencies to establish pre-approved housing plan programs by July 1, 2026. By doing so, homeowners will have access to a set list of housing models they can choose from to quickly and efficiently rebuild. This bill provides a standardized path for housing development, cutting through red tape so that rebuilding efforts and new construction can move forward without costly and burdensome delays. By making the rebuilding process more accessible and efficient, AB 1206 ensures that communities can recover faster and that families can once again find stability in a place to call home.”

2. Little boxes all the same. California’s communities are diverse, not just across jurisdictions, but within jurisdictions, each often with unique community characteristics. Currently, housing projects are generally considered individually on a site-by-site basis, allowing for specific design and impact considerations. In 2023, the Legislature directed cities and counties to adopt preapproved plans for ADUs. That requirement became effective on January 1 of this year. Accordingly, it is unclear how successful this effort has been, and what pitfalls have arisen in jurisdictions that didn’t adopt the program voluntarily. Following that effort, AB 1206 requires all cities and counties to develop a program to preapprove standardized designs for certain types of development, regardless of whether there is demand for such a program within their jurisdiction. Additionally, cities or counties must approve or deny an application for these projects ministerially—meaning without discretionary review—within 30 days if the application includes a preapproved plan. On the one hand, this could result in faster, and less expensive, housing construction. On the other hand, multifamily projects can be more complex than ADUs or single-family homes. Building officials are concerned that AB 1206’s short timeframes for review and limitations on the ability of local governments to review projects individually will affect the safety of structures built using these plans. Should the Legislature take these decisions about whether or not to preapprove plans for housing out of the hands of local elected officials?

3. Spot the difference. AB 1206 is modeled after AB 1332’s preapproved ADU program. It borrows the provisions from that law and applies them to buildings containing 1-10 residential units with the following differences:

• AB 1206 prohibits the preapproval program from applying to plans intended for use in projects that require subdivision, while AB 1332 did not;
• AB 1206 gives cities and counties six months to develop the program, while AB 1332 gave them one year; and
• AB 1332 prohibited local governments from requiring qualifications for submission of ADU plans, while AB 1206 does not.

4. Let’s be clear. AB 1206 requires all cities and counties to develop a program for preapproved single and multifamily dwellings. The program must accept submissions for preapproved plans. The bill also allows, but does not require, cities and counties to develop their own preapproved plans. However, not all local governments may receive submissions of plans for preapproval, such as cities or counties with smaller populations or that see little development. AB 1206 does not specify what the program requires if no submissions are received by the date they must have a program. Accordingly, AB 1206 could be interpreted in multiple ways. First, because it allows, but does not require, local agencies to come up with their own plans, local agencies may not be required to do anything. Alternatively, it might require local agencies to develop their own plans because otherwise it is unclear what it would mean to have a program in place by July 1, 2026. If the latter interpretation prevails, smaller jurisdictions—which may already have fewer resources to implement the program—may be forced to hire an architect to develop plans for which there is little demand. The Committee may wish to consider amending AB 1206 to clarify the requirements on local agencies if they don’t receive a submission for a plan to be preapproved by the effective date of the bill.

5. Let’s get technical. Committee staff recommends the following technical amendments to AB 1206:

• AB 1206 defines “single family residential housing unit” and “multifamily residential housing unit”. There are two issues with these terms. First, the bill uses both these terms but also refers to a single- and multifamily residential housing “plans,” which are not defined. Second, the definition of multifamily residential housing unit could be interpreted to apply to mixed-use developments, not just residential buildings. To address these issues, the Committee may wish to consider amending AB 1206 strike “unit” in these definition, so that it covers both plans and the units included in a plan, and specify that these buildings must only contain residential units.
• AB 1206 provides that a city or county must ministerially approve an application for a single family or multifamily residential housing unit ministerially, except that they must approve or deny an application within 30 days if it uses a preapproved plan and is proposed for the type of lot for which the plan was approved. This provision appears to be adapted from AB 1332, which shortened the timeframe for approval for preapproved ADUs relative to other ADUs. Since no similar statute applies to single or multifamily housing, AB 1206’s requirement for approval is unclear. The Committee may wish to consider amending AB 1206 to clarify the approval requirements for preapproved plans.

6. Hey, that’s mine! The Copyright Act of 1976 (Copyright Act) prohibits the unauthorized copying of an “original work of authorship” fixed in a “tangible form of expression.” Among other protections, federal copyright law provides copyright owners with the exclusive right to reproduce the work, prepare other works based on it, sell or lease copies, and display it publicly. In 1990, the United States Congress enacted the Architectural Works Copyright Protection Act to allow the “original design” of a building to be protected under the Copyright Act. This original design can include architectural plans, drawings, the building itself, or other tangible forms of expression.

State law requires local agencies to follow certain procedures when displaying certain architectural works (SB 1214, Jones, 2022). The Legislature adopted these requirements to address concerns that the public posting and sharing online of architectural works in the course of reviewing development proposals was enabling copyright violations. SB 1214 generally prohibits local planning agencies from distributing architectural drawings that contain protected information unless authorized by the design professional or owner of the copyright. The planning agency can only make those drawings available to the public in person on the premises of the planning agency, and those drawings can’t be copied without the permission of the design professional or copyright owner.

AB 1206 requires local agencies to post preapproved plans online. However, the bill does not require that anyone submitting the plans for preapproval has the legal authority to release those plans. This could facilitate copyright infringement. The Committee may wish to consider amending AB 1206 to ensure that the intellectual property of architects is protected.

7. Charter city. The California Constitution allows cities that adopt charters to control their own “municipal affairs.” In all other matters, charter cities must follow the general, statewide laws. Because the Constitution does not define municipal affairs, the courts determine whether a topic is a municipal affair or whether it is an issue of statewide concern. AB 1206 says that its statutory provisions apply to charter cities because the lack of housing is a matter of statewide concern.

8. Mandate. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local governments for the costs of new or expanded state mandated local programs. Because AB 1206 adds to the duties of local officials, Legislative Counsel says the bill imposes a new state mandate. AB 1206 disclaims the state’s responsibility for providing reimbursement by citing local governments’ authority to charge for the costs of implementing the bill’s provisions.

9. Coming and going. The Senate Rules Committee has ordered a double referral of AB 1206: first to the Committee on Local Government to hear issues related to local approval processes, and second to the Committee on Housing.

Assembly Actions

Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee: 11-0

Assembly Local Government Committee: 10-0

Assembly Appropriations Committee: 12-0

Assembly Floor: 66-0

Support and Opposition

(6/13/2025)

Support: Abundant Housing LA
Associated General Contractors, California Chapters
California Apartment Association
California Yimby
Circulate San Diego
Eden Housing
Habitat for Humanity California
Inner City Law Center
Institute for Responsive Government Action
South Pasadena Residents for Responsible Growth
Spur
Student Homes Coalition
The Two Hundred
Usgbc California
Zillow Group

Opposition: Association of California Cities - Orange County (ACC-OC)
California Building Officials
City of Murrieta
City of Santa Clarita
County of Santa Barbara

League of California Cities

-- END --

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 1206

Author:(Harabedian)

As Amended Ver:March 27, 2025

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Requires each local agency to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans for public use.

Major Provisions

1. Requires each local agency to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans by July 1, 2026, as follows:
   1. Establishes that the local agency must;
      1. Accept single-family and multifamily residential housing plans for 1-10 units for preapproval from any applicant without restriction; and
      2. Approve or deny the application for preapproval pursuant to applicable state and local housing regulations.
   2. Allows the local agency to charge the applicant permitting fees for the review of the plans submitted for preapproval, as long as the fees are the same as those that would be charged to review the plans if a standard permit application were filed;
   3. Requires the local agency to post the preapproved plans on the agency's website, with the contact information of the party that submitted the plans included. The posting of the plans shall not be considered an endorsement of the applicant, or an approval of the applicant's application. The local agency is required to remove preapproved plans within 30 days, at the applicant's request; and
   4. Allows the local agency to admit plans developed and approved by the local agency independently of this program into the preapproved program.
2. Requires a local agency to approve or deny an application for a single-family or multifamily housing development ministerially and without discretionary review within 30 days if the lot for which the application is proposed meet the soil conditions, topography, flood zone, zoning regulations, and design review standards for which the preapproved plan was designed and the applicant uses either of the following:
   1. Plans preapproved pursuant to the program established in 1), as long as they were approved by the local agency within the current triennial California Building Standards Code (CBSC) rulemaking cycle; or
   2. Plans that are identical to a plan that was preapproved pursuant to 1), as long as they were approved by the local agency within the current CBSC rulemaking cycle.
3. Applies these provisions to all cities, including charter cities.

COMMENTS

Local Housing Approval Timelines: Planning for, and approving, new housing developments is primarily a local responsibility. Under the California Constitution, cities and counties have broad authority, known as the police power, to regulate land use in the interest of public health, safety, and welfare. Local governments enforce this authority through an entitlement process, which includes both discretionary and ministerial approvals. Gaining "entitlement" is essentially a local government's confirmation that a housing project conforms with all applicable local zoning regulations and design standards. Once a project receives entitlement, or approval, from the local planning department, it must obtain postentitlement permits, such as building, demolition, and grading permits. Postentitlement permits are related to the physical construction of the development proposal before construction can begin.

Navigating through the various stages of housing approval requires developers to invest time and resources early in the development process. Obtaining approval to build housing can be even more difficult for less-experienced homeowners seeking to add gentle density to their properties. To address this, the Legislature has enacted various laws to streamline, expedite, and standardize housing approvals, particularly for projects meeting objective standards. Despite the efforts to expedite local approvals for housing development proposals both at the entitlement and permitting stages, it still takes far too long to approve housing in California.

Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) identifies lengthy permit processing timelines and procedures as a governmental constraint to housing development. In HCD's San Francisco Housing Policy and Practice Review, the department found that procedural complexities associated with housing entitlement and permitting are "not only a barrier to entry to new development professionals pursuing [housing] projects," but they may also cause developers to exit housing markets with complex permitting ecosystems and pursue developments in neighboring jurisdictions with less complex procedural requirements instead.^[1] For homeowners seeking to add gentle density to their property, bureaucratic hurdles and delays can result in project abandonment, further tightening the housing production pipeline.

This bill would address a key governmental constraint to housing production by expediting the housing approvals process for homeowners using plans that the local government already approved. Speeding up housing approvals as proposed in this bill reduces costs by minimizing delays that increase financing, labor, and material expenses. Faster approvals also create more certainty for homeowners and developers, encouraging investment and increasing housing supply, which can help to stabilize prices. Increasing the supply and availability of housing at all income levels ultimately lowers housing costs and helps to promote a more affordable California.

Benefits of Standardization and Predictability: In recent years, there has been a legislative trend towards standardization, consistency, and expediency in housing approvals. Research from urban planning, public policy, and economic disciplines consistently highlights the advantages of clear and consistent regulatory frameworks in housing development. Unpredictable and lengthy approval timelines can increase financial risk, discourage investment, and drive up costs for developers, which ultimately translates into higher housing prices for consumers.

On the other hand, standardized approval processes can help mitigate these risks by providing clear guidelines, reducing ambiguity, and fostering confidence for the applicant. One such example of increasing standardization, speed, and predictability in housing reviews comes from accessory dwelling units, or Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). The Legislature passed laws to permit ADUs by right on all residentially-zoned parcels in the state, facilitating the construction of missing middle housing in exclusionary single-family neighborhoods.^[2] Since then, various pieces of legislation have been passed to establish statewide standards for ADUs, regardless of the underlying zoning district. ADUs are now required to be reviewed within 60 days by local governments in a streamlined and ministerial fashion. This means that there are clear rules that apply to every residential parcel in the state, and if those rules are followed, your ADU proposal will be quickly approved.

Taken as a whole, ADU laws have established a fast, predictable, uniform, and enforceable process for the approval of ADUs statewide. These laws have transformed these units from being less than 1% of new construction before 2017 to now being approximately 20%, with over 23,000 new ADUs legally completed in 2023.^[3] With thousands of ADUs being added every year, ADUs have already become an important part of the state's stock of new housing, with a growth potential that is not subject to the state's funding allocations. This bill seeks to build off of the successes of standardization and predictability by applying them to standard housing units, not just ADUs, through a preapproved program.

Preapproved Plans: In an attempt to increase standardization and predictability in housing approvals, there has been increased interest at the state and local level in preapproved plans for housing development. Building on the success of prior ADU laws, AB 1332 (Juan Carrillo), Chapter 759, Statutes of 2023, established a preapproved plan program for ADUs which this bill draws heavily from. Under AB 1332, local governments were required to develop a program for the preapproval of ADU plans by January 1, 2025, with functionally the same provisions as this bill. Because this program just went into effect on January 1, 2025, it is still too early to tell how successful or impactful it will be in terms of increasing ADU production.

More recently, the City of Los Angeles (LA) launched a local "Small Lots, Big Impact" initiative to encourage for-sale housing on small lots.^[4] Through this initiative, LA is hosting a design competition for designers to develop plans for multiple small-scale housing units on individual lots, with the winning designs eventually serving as pre-approved plans for all developers to use.^[5] The LA housing department anticipates that these pre-approved designs will be for one to three story developments ranging from fourplexes to 20-unit proposals.^[6] LA anticipates that this program may help the Pacific Palisades neighborhood rebuild more quickly after thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed in January's Palisades fire.

This bill would build off of the precedent set by AB 1332 (Juan Carrillo) and would be similar to LA's preapproved plan initiative. It would take the language from AB 1332, establishing a local program for the preapproval of housing, but apply it to single-family and multi-family homes, rather than just ADUs. Under this bill, local governments would be required to set up a program for the preapproval of single-family and multi-family homes ranging from 1-10 units, and then expedite the approvals process for applicants who later want to use those preapproved designs by reviewing them within 30 days. Local governments would need to set up this program by July 1, 2026. As is the case in AB 1332, local governments would be allowed to charge the same permitting fees as they would for the standard approval of similar housing units to review these plans submitted for preapproval. Project applicants may then use these preapproved plans, or plans identical to them, when applying for housing developments of their own. This preapproved program may help to standardize and simplify the approvals process for homeowners and developers by increasing approvals certainty so long as they stick to the preapproved plans, and by expediting the approvals process.

According to the Author

"Home is more than just walls and a roof—it is the foundation of stability, security, and opportunity. Yet, for too many families, particularly those in low-income communities and communities of color, the dream of safe and affordable housing remains out of reach. The devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires only deepened these inequities, displacing thousands and further straining an already dire housing crisis. AB 1206 streamlines the approval process for single-family and multifamily housing by requiring local agencies to establish pre-approved housing plan programs by January 1, 2026. By doing so, homeowners will have access to a set list of housing models they can choose from to quickly and efficiently rebuild. This bill provides a standardized path for housing development, cutting through red tape so that rebuilding efforts and new construction can move forward without costly and burdensome delays. By making the rebuilding process more accessible and efficient, AB 1206 ensures that communities can recover faster and that families can once again find stability in a place to call home."

Arguments in Support

"One way to streamline new housing approvals is for local governments to have a program where developers can know ahead of time what plans that the jurisdiction will approve for a particular build. That is why preapproved housing plans are important. In 2023 a similar bill, AB 1332 (Carrillo, Juan), which required local governments to create a program for the preapproval of plans for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), was signed into law by the Governor. The goal of AB 1206 is to streamline the approval of single-family and multifamily housing approvals in a similar fashion as the successful ADU law."

Arguments in Opposition

"While we can understand the intent to expedite housing and development, this type of legislation does not account for the various other codes and regulations outside of the building code which are part of the nuance of housing construction, and which were enacted to provide safety for residents. As an example, the electrical code is also needed when constructing a single or multifamily residence as well as numerous other codes for basic health and safety."

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations: No state costs. Local costs of an unknown amount to cities and counties to establish and administer the preapproval program. These costs are not reimbursable by the state because local agencies have general authority to charge and adjust planning and permitting fees to cover their administrative expenses associated with new planning mandates.

VOTES

ASM HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: 11-0-0

YES: Haney, Patterson, Ávila Farías, Caloza, Gallagher, Kalra, Lee, Quirk-Silva, Ta, Wicks, Wilson

ASM LOCAL GOVERNMENT: 10-0-0

YES: Carrillo, Ta, Hoover, Pacheco, Ramos, Ransom, Blanca Rubio, Stefani, Ward, Wilson

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 12-0-3

YES: Wicks, Arambula, Calderon, Caloza, Elhawary, Fong, Mark González, Hart, Pacheco, Pellerin, Solache, Ta

ABS, ABST OR NV: Sanchez, Dixon, Tangipa

UPDATED

VERSION: March 27, 2025

CONSULTANT: Dori Ganetsos / H. & C.D. / (916) 319-2085 FN: 0000293

1. HCD San Francisco Policy & Practice Review, Page 13. Published October 2023. Accessed from: https://www.hcd.ca.gov/policy-and-research/plans-and-reports ↑

2. https://www.hcd.ca.gov/sites/default/files/docs/policy-and-research/adu-handbook-update.pdf ↑

3. Per HCDs "APR Dashboard" https://www.hcd.ca.gov/planning-and-community-development/housing-open-data-tools/housing-element-implementation-and-apr-dashboard. Complete data for 2023 will be made available by June 30, 2024. This statistic relies on data pulled on May 28, 2024. ↑

4. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-03-05/los-angeles-launches-effort-to-encourage-starter-homes-on-city-owned-vacant-lots ↑

5. IBID. ↑

6. IBID. ↑

Date of Hearing: April 23, 2025

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Buffy Wicks, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1206

Author:(Harabedian) – As Amended Ver:March 27, 2025

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: Yes Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill requires each local agency to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans for public use.

Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires a local agency to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily housing plans by July 1, 2026, as follows:
   1. Requires a local agency to accept single-family and multifamily residential housing plan submissions for preapproval.
   2. Requires a local agency to approve or deny the application for preapproval pursuant to the standards established in applicable state and local housing regulations.
   3. Allows a local agency to charge the applicant the same permitting fees the local agency charges an applicant seeking approval for the same-sized single-family or multifamily residential housing unit.
   4. Requires a local agency to post the preapproved single-family and multifamily residential housing plans on the local agency’s internet website, as specified.
   5. Allows a local agency to admit plans developed and preapproved by the local agency for single-family and multi-family residential housing plans into the program.
   6. Provides that nothing in this bill prevents a local agency from voluntarily accepting or admitting additional plans at higher densities in additional zoning districts into the preapproved housing plan program.
2. Requires a local agency to approve or deny an application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit within 30 days if the lot meets the soil conditions, topography, flood zone, zoning regulations, and design review standards for which the preapproved plan was designed and the application uses a preapproved plan, as specified.
3. Defines “multifamily residential housing unit” to mean a building containing two to 10 residential units.

FISCAL EFFECT:

No state costs. Local costs of an unknown amount to cities and counties to establish and administer the preapproval program. These costs are not reimbursable by the state because local agencies have general authority to charge and adjust planning and permitting fees to cover their administrative expenses associated with new planning mandates.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. According to the author:

This bill provides a standardized path for housing development, cutting through red tape so that rebuilding efforts and new construction can move forward without costly and burdensome delays. By making the rebuilding process more accessible and efficient, [this bill] ensures that communities can recover faster and that families can once again find stability in a place to call home.

1. Background. According to the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), California’s housing crisis is a half-century in the making. After decades of underproduction, supply is far behind need and housing and rental costs are soaring. To meet the state’s housing need, HCD determined that California, in the 6^th Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) Cycle, must plan for more than 2.5 million new homes, with at least one million of those homes affordable to lower-income households.

HCD identifies lengthy permit processing timelines and procedures as a governmental constraint to housing development. To address this, the Legislature has enacted various laws to streamline, expedite, and standardize housing approvals, particularly for projects meeting objective standards. This approach has been particular successful with accessory dwelling units (ADUs). More recently there has been an increased interest at the both the state and local levels in preapproved housing plans.

AB 1332 (Juan Carrillo), Chapter 759, Statutes of 2023, required each city and county to develop a program for the preapproval of ADU plans by January 1, 2025. The goal of such a program is to expedite the housing approval process for homeowners using plans the local government has already approved.

This bill requires each city and county to create a similar preapproval program for single family and small multi-family residential housing plans, modeled after the criteria in AB 1332.

1. Arguments in Support. This bill is supported by affordable housing advocates who assert that speeding up housing approvals, as done in AB 1332 and proposed in this bill, reduces building costs by minimizing delays that increase financing, labor, and material expenses, and creates more certainty for homeowners and developers, thus encouraging investment and increasing housing supply. According to Habitat for Humanity:

These [pre-approved] plans traditionally include architectural designs and construction blueprints that have been reviewed and approved by municipal authorities in advance of individual project applications. The pre-approved plans can reduce the need for expensive custom design work; and self-help, non-profit affordable developers like Habitat for Humanity can use pre-approved plans to bypass the lengthy and complex design review process, saving time and money.

1. Arguments in Opposition. This bill is opposed by cities who assert the approval timeline is too short and the ADU approach is not transferable to single-family and multi-family housing construction. The City of Murrieta, in Riverside County, writes:

The expedited timeline of 30 days is unachievable. While a 30-day timeline exists for ADUs, unlike ADUs single and multifamily construction of completely new housing involves multiple agencies including sewer districts, water utilities, and electrical and gas utilities review. Furthermore, while larger municipalities are able to contract out and expedite reviews of plans, smaller agencies that are limited to only working with in-house staff need adequate time to complete review.

While we can understand the intent to expedite housing and development, this type of legislation does not account for the various other codes and regulations outside of the building code which are part of the nuance of housing construction, and which were enacted to provide safety for residents.

Analysis Prepared by: Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: April 9, 2025

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Juan Carrillo, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1206 (

Author:Harabedian) – As Amended Ver:March 27, 2025

SUBJECT: Single-family and multifamily housing units: preapproved plans

SUMMARY: Requires each local agency to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans for public use. Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires a local agency to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily housing plans by July 1, 2026, which shall comply with all of the following:
   1. Requires a local agency to accept single-family and multifamily residential housing plan submissions for preapproval.
   2. Requires a local agency to approve or deny the application for preapproval pursuant to the standards established in applicable state and local housing regulations.
   3. Allows a local agency to charge the applicant the same permitting fees that the local agency would charge an applicant seeking approval for the same-sized single-family or multifamily residential housing unit in reviewing and approving a preapproved housing plan submission.
   4. Requires a local agency to post the single-family and multifamily residential housing plans that are preapproved on the local agency’s internet website. Provides that the posting of a preapproved housing plan shall not be considered an endorsement of the applicant or approval of the applicant’s application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit by the local agency.
      1. Requires a local agency to post the contact information of the applicant of a preapproved housing plan, as provided by the applicant. Provides that the local agency shall not be responsible for the accuracy of the contact information.
      2. Requires a local agency to remove a preapproved housing plan from their internet within 30 days of receiving a request for removal from the applicant.
   5. Allows a local agency to admit plans that have been developed and preapproved by the local agency for single-family and multi-family residential housing plans into the program.
   6. Provides that nothing in this bill shall prevent a local agency from voluntarily accepting or admitting additional plans at higher densities in additional zoning districts into the preapproved housing plan program, at the local agency’s discretion.
2. Requires a local agency to approve or deny an application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit ministerially without discretionary review, except that the local agency shall either approve or deny the application within 30 days from the date the local agency receives a completed application, if the lot for which the application is proposed meet the soil conditions, topography, flood zone, zoning regulations, and design review standards for which the preapproved plan was designed and the application utilizes either of the following:
   1. A plan for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit that has been preapproved by the local agency within the current triennial California Building Standards Code rulemaking cycle.
   2. A plan that is identical to a plan used in an application for a single- or multifamily residential housing unit approved by the local agency within the current triennial California Building Standards Code (CBSC) rulemaking cycle.
3. Defines the following terms:
   1. “Local agency” means a city, county, or city and county.
   2. “Multifamily residential housing unit” means a building containing 2-10 residential units.
   3. “Single-family residential housing unit’ has the same meaning as defined in applicable housing regulations.
4. Finds and declares that the lack of housing is a matter of statewide concern and is not a municipal affair as that term is used in Section 5 of Article XI of the California Constitution. Therefore, this section applies to all cities, including charter cities.
5. Provides that no reimbursement is required by this bill because a local agency or school district has the authority to levy service charges, fees, or assessments sufficient to pay for the program or level of service mandated by this bill.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Requires each local agency to develop a program for the preapproval of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) by January 1, 2025, as follows:
   1. Establishes that the local agency must:
      1. Accept ADU plans for preapproval from any applicant without restriction; and
      2. Approve or deny the application for preapproval pursuant to applicable state and local housing regulations.
   2. Allows the local agency to charge the applicant permitting fees for the review of the plans submitted for preapproval, as long as the fees are the same as those that would be charged to review the plans if a standard ADU application were filed;
   3. Requires the local agency to post the preapproved ADU plans on the agency’s website, with the contact information of the party that submitted the plans included. The posting of the plans shall not be considered an endorsement of the applicant, or an approval of the applicant’s application. The local agency is required to remove preapproved plans within 30 days, at the applicant’s request; and
   4. Allows the local agency to admit ADU plans developed and approved by the local agency independently of this program into the preapproved ADU program. [Government Code (GOV) § 65852.27]
2. Requires a local agency to approve or deny an application for an ADU ministerially and without discretionary review within 30 days, if the applicant uses either of the following:
   1. ADU plans preapproved pursuant to the program established in 1), as long as they were approved by the local agency within the current triennial CBSC rulemaking cycle.
   2. ADU plans that are identical to a plan that was preapproved pursuant to 1), as long as they were approved by the local agency within the current CBSC rulemaking cycle. (GOV § 65852.27)
3. Finds and declares that the lack of housing is matter of statewide concerns and is not a municipal affair. Therefore, the program described in 1) and 2) above applies to all cities, including charter cities. (GOV § 65852.7)
   

FISCAL EFFECT: This bill is keyed fiscal and contains a state-mandated local program.

COMMENTS:

1. Bill Summary. This bill requires each local agency to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans for public use and requires that these plans be posted on the public agency’s website. If an applicant uses a preapproved plan for a single-family or multifamily project, the bill requires local agencies to ministerially approve or deny a completed application within 30 days if the lot meets the soil conditions, topography, flood zone, zoning regulations, and design review standards for which the preapproved plan was designed for.

This bill is author sponsored.

1. Author’s Statement. According to the author, “Home is more than just walls and a roof—it is the foundation of stability, security, and opportunity. Yet, for too many families, particularly those in low-income communities and communities of color, the dream of safe and affordable housing remains out of reach. The devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires only deepened these inequities, displacing thousands and further straining an already dire housing crisis.
   
   AB 1206 streamlines the approval process for single-family and multifamily housing by requiring local agencies to establish pre-approved housing plan programs by January 1, 2026. By doing so, homeowners will have access to a set list of housing models they can choose from to quickly and efficiently rebuild. This bill provides a standardized path for housing development, cutting through red tape so that rebuilding efforts and new construction can move forward without costly and burdensome delays. By making the rebuilding process more accessible and efficient, AB 1206 ensures that communities can recover faster and that families can once again find stability in a place to call home.”
2. Permitting Power. Planning for and approving new development is mainly a local responsibility. The California Constitution allows cities and counties to “make and enforce within its limits, all local, police, sanitary and other ordinances and regulations not in conflict with general laws.” It is from this fundamental power, commonly called the police power, that cities and counties derive their authority to regulate behavior to preserve the health, safety, and welfare of the public – including land use authority. Cities and counties enforce this land use authority through zoning regulations, as well as through an “entitlement process” for obtaining discretionary as well as ministerial approvals.

The scale of the proposed development, as well as the existing environmental setting determine the degree of local review that occurs. For larger developments, the local entitlement process commonly requires multiple discretionary decisions regarding the subdivision of land, environmental review pursuant to CEQA, and project review by the local agency’s legislative body (city council or county board) or by a planning commission delegated by the legislative body.

1. Building Codes. The California Building Standards Code contains building standards and regulations as adopted by the BSC. These standards include, among other requirements, structural standards for building safety (the Building Code), fire safety standards (the Fire Code), energy efficiency standards (the Energy Code), and standards for green buildings (CalGreen).

The BSC updates the Building Standards Code on a three-year cycle. Once adopted at the state level, cities and counties in California then enact an ordinance to adopt the codes. New construction and improvements to existing buildings must comply with the current building codes, and improvements to an existing building may trigger additional code upgrades for other parts of the building.

Existing law requires the building department of every city or county to enforce the provisions of the State Housing Law, the California Building Standards Code, and the other specified rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the State Housing Law.

1. The Permit Streamlining Act. The PSA requires public agencies to act fairly and promptly on applications for development proposals. Under the PSA, public agencies have 30 days to determine whether applications for development projects are complete and request additional information; failure to act results in an application being “deemed complete.” The PSA applies to the discretionary approval phase of a development review process; this is the phase where the agency, in its discretion, decides whether it approves of the concept outlined in the development proposal.
2. Preapproved Plans. In an attempt to increase standardization and predictability in housing approvals, there has been increased interest at the state and local level in preapproved plans for housing development.
   
   Building on the success of prior ADU laws, AB 1332 (Juan Carrillo), Chapter 759, Statutes of 2023, established a preapproved plan program for ADUs which this bill draws heavily from. Under AB 1332, local governments were required to develop a program for the preapproval of ADU plans by January 1, 2025. Under this program, anyone can submit plans for preapproval, and the local government must review them based on existing state ADU and building code standards. The local agency is allowed to charge the same permitting fees as they would for a regular ADU application to review submittals for ADUs requesting preapproval. Once approved, these plans must be posted on the local government’s website, along with the applicant’s contact information (though the agency isn’t responsible for its accuracy). Applicants can also request their ADU plans be removed if they no longer wish to participate in the program. Local governments are also allowed to include their own preapproved ADU plans or ones approved by other local governments in California in the preapproved plan program, since the same ADU standards apply statewide. If a local government receives an application for a detached ADU using a preapproved or previously approved plan from the current building code cycle, the local government must approve or deny the permit application within 30 days, without discretionary review. Because this program just went into effect on January 1, 2025, it is still too early to tell how successful or impactful it will be in terms of increasing ADU production.
3. Previous Legislation. AB 1332 (Juan Carrillo) Chapter 759, Statutes of 2023 required local governments to create a program for the pre-approval of accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
4. Arguments in Support. The California Apartment Association (CAA) writes in support, “The key to moving California out of its housing crisis will be to efficiently construct new housing while ensuring the health and safety of existing communities. One way to streamline new housing approvals is for local governments to have a program where developers can know ahead of time what plans that the jurisdiction will approve for a particular build. That is why preapproved housing plans are important. In 2023 a similar bill, AB 1332 (Carrillo, Juan), which required local governments to create a program for the preapproval of plans for ADUs was signed into law by the Governor. The goal of AB 1206 is to streamline the approval of single-family and multifamily housing approvals in a similar fashion as the successful ADU law.”
5. Arguments in Opposition. The League of California Cities with a position of oppose unless amended writes, “AB 1332 (2023) required all local agencies to develop a preapproval program for ADUs by January 2025. AB 1206 would extend these requirements to single-family and multi-family homes without providing funding or time to implement the new requirements. The complexity of larger-scale single-family and multi-family housing projects makes it challenging at the local level to approve or deny plans for preapproval, as larger, more dense buildings and projects have site-specific factors that must be addressed on a project-by-project basis. For example, some cities have terrain that varies significantly across the same jurisdiction, from coastal canyons, bluffs, or hillsides to very high fire hazard severity zones that require different local regulations and requirements that a standardized plan cannot account for locally. With a short timeline to review preapproved plans if requested for use by an applicant, local agencies will struggle with accounting for necessary public health and safety measures that must be taken to promote safe residential development.”
6. Double Referral. This bill is double-referred to the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee, where it passed on a 11-0 vote on March 26, 2025.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support
Abundant Housing LA
California Apartment Association
California Yimby
Circulate San Diego
Habitat for Humanity California
Spur
The Two Hundred

Opposition

League of California Cities (unless amended)

Analysis Prepared by: Linda Rios / L. GOV. / (916) 319-3958

Date of Hearing: March 26, 2025

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Matt Haney, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1206 (

Author:Harabedian) – As Introduced Ver:February 21, 2025

SUBJECT: Single-family and multifamily housing units: preapproved plans

SUMMARY: Requires each local agency to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans for public use. Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires each local agency to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans by January 1, 2026, as follows:
   1. Establishes that the local agency must;
      1. Accept single-family and multifamily residential housing plans for preapproval from any applicant without restriction; and
      2. Approve or deny the application for preapproval pursuant to applicable state and local housing regulations.
   2. Allows the local agency to charge the applicant permitting fees for the review of the plans submitted for preapproval, as long as the fees are the same as those that would be charged to review the plans if a standard permit application were filed;
   3. Requires the local agency to post the preapproved plans on the agency’s website, with the contact information of the party that submitted the plans included. The posting of the plans shall not be considered an endorsement of the applicant, or an approval of the applicant’s application. The local agency is required to remove preapproved plans within 30 days, at the applicant’s request; and
   4. Allows the local agency to admit plans developed and approved by the local agency independently of this program into the preapproved program.
2. Requires a local agency to approve or deny an application for a single-family or multifamily housing development ministerially and without discretionary review within 30 days, if the applicant uses either of the following:
   1. Plans preapproved pursuant to the program established in 1), as long as they were approved by the local agency within the current triennial California Building Standards Code (CBSC) rulemaking cycle; or
   2. Plans that are identical to a plan that was preapproved pursuant to 1), as long as they were approved by the local agency within the current CBSC rulemaking cycle.
3. Applies these provisions to all cities, including charter cities.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Requires each local agency to develop a program for the preapproval of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) by January 1, 2025, as follows:
   1. Establishes that the local agency must;
      1. Accept ADU plans for preapproval from any applicant without restriction; and
      2. Approve or deny the application for preapproval pursuant to applicable state and local housing regulations.
   2. Allows the local agency to charge the applicant permitting fees for the review of the plans submitted for preapproval, as long as the fees are the same as those that would be charged to review the plans if a standard ADU application were filed;
   3. Requires the local agency to post the preapproved ADU plans on the agency’s website, with the contact information of the party that submitted the plans included. The posting of the plans shall not be considered an endorsement of the applicant, or an approval of the applicant’s application. The local agency is required to remove preapproved plans within 30 days, at the applicant’s request; and
   4. Allows the local agency to admit ADU plans developed and approved by the local agency independently of this program into the preapproved ADU program. (Government Code (GOV) 65852.27)
2. Requires a local agency to approve or deny an application for an ADU ministerially and without discretionary review within 30 days, if the applicant uses either of the following:
   1. ADU plans preapproved pursuant to the program established in 1), as long as they were approved by the local agency within the current triennial California Building Standards Code (CBSC) rulemaking cycle; or
   2. ADU plans that are identical to a plan that was preapproved pursuant to 1), as long as they were approved by the local agency within the current CBSC rulemaking cycle. (GOV 65852.27)
3. Applies these provisions to all cities, including charter cities. (GOV 65852.27)

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown.

COMMENTS:

Author’s Statement: According to the author, “Home is more than just walls and a roof—it is the foundation of stability, security, and opportunity. Yet, for too many families, particularly those in low-income communities and communities of color, the dream of safe and affordable housing remains out of reach. The devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires only deepened these inequities, displacing thousands and further straining an already dire housing crisis. AB 1206 streamlines the approval process for single-family and multifamily housing by requiring local agencies to establish pre-approved housing plan programs by January 1, 2026. By doing so, homeowners will have access to a set list of housing models they can choose from to quickly and efficiently rebuild. This bill provides a standardized path for housing development, cutting through red tape so that rebuilding efforts and new construction can move forward without costly and burdensome delays. By making the rebuilding process more accessible and efficient, AB 1206 ensures that communities can recover faster and that families can once again find stability in a place to call home.”

Statewide Housing Needs: State and Local Housing Needs and Affordability: According to the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), California’s housing crisis is a half-century in the making. ^[1] After decades of underproduction, supply is far behind need and housing and rental costs are soaring. As a result, millions of Californians must make hard decisions about paying for housing at the expense of food, health care, child care, and transportation, directly impacting the quality of life in the state. One in three households in the state doesn’t earn enough money to meet their basic needs. In 2024, over 187,000 Californians experienced homelessness on a given night.^[2]

To meet this housing need, HCD determined that California must plan for more than 2.5 million new homes, and no less than one million of those homes must be affordable to lower-income households, in the 6^th Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) Cycle. By contrast, housing production in the past decade has been under 100,000 units per year – including less than 10,000 units of affordable housing per year.^[3]

Local Housing Approval Timelines: Planning for, and approving, new housing developments is primarily a local responsibility. Under the California Constitution, cities and counties have broad authority, known as the police power, to regulate land use in the interest of public health, safety, and welfare. Local governments enforce this authority through an entitlement process, which includes both discretionary and ministerial approvals. Gaining “entitlement” is essentially a local government’s confirmation that a housing project conforms with all applicable local zoning regulations and design standards. Once a project receives entitlement, or approval, from the local planning department, it must obtain postentitlement permits, such as building, demolition, and grading permits. Postentitlement permits are related to the physical construction of the development proposal before construction can begin.

Navigating through the various stages of housing approval requires developers to invest time and resources early in the development process. Obtaining approval to build housing can be even more difficult for less-experienced homeowners seeking to add gentle density to their properties. To address this, the Legislature has enacted various laws to streamline, expedite, and standardize housing approvals, particularly for projects meeting objective standards. Despite the efforts to expedite local approvals for housing development proposals both at the entitlement and permitting stages, it still takes far too long to approve housing in California.

HCD identifies lengthy permit processing timelines and procedures as a governmental constraint to housing development. In HCD’s San Francisco Housing Policy and Practice Review, the department found that procedural complexities associated with housing entitlement and permitting are “not only a barrier to entry to new development professionals pursuing [housing] projects,” but they may also cause developers to exit housing markets with complex permitting ecosystems and pursue developments in neighboring jurisdictions with less complex procedural requirements instead.^[4] For homeowners seeking to add gentle density to their property, bureaucratic hurdles and delays can result in project abandonment, further tightening the housing production pipeline.

2023 Housing Development Approvals Timeline^[5]

This bill would address a key governmental constraint to housing production by expediting the housing approvals process for homeowners using plans that the local government already approved. Speeding up housing approvals as proposed in this bill reduces costs by minimizing delays that increase financing, labor, and material expenses. Faster approvals also create more certainty for homeowners and developers, encouraging investment and increasing housing supply, which can help to stabilize prices. Increasing the supply and availability of housing at all income levels ultimately lowers housing costs and helps to promote a more affordable California.

Benefits of Standardization and Predictability: In recent years, there has been a legislative trend towards standardization, consistency, and expediency in housing approvals. Research from urban planning, public policy, and economic disciplines consistently highlights the advantages of clear and consistent regulatory frameworks in housing development. Unpredictable and lengthy approval timelines can increase financial risk, discourage investment, and drive up costs for developers, which ultimately translates into higher housing prices for consumers.

On the other hand, standardized approval processes can help mitigate these risks by providing clear guidelines, reducing ambiguity, and fostering confidence for the applicant. One such example of increasing standardization, speed, and predictability in housing reviews comes from accessory dwelling units, or ADUs. In 2016, SB 1069 (Wieckowski), Chapter 720 and AB 2299 (Bloom) Chapter 735, permitted ADUs by right on all residentially-zoned parcels in the state. By permitting attached, detached, and JADUs on all single-family lots, these laws, among others, facilitated the construction of missing middle housing in exclusionary single-family neighborhoods.^[6] Since then, various pieces of legislation have been passed to establish statewide standards regarding ADU setbacks, height limits, square footage requirements, and other land use controls, regardless of the underlying zoning district. As a result, ADUs are now required to be reviewed within 60 days by local governments in a streamlined and ministerial fashion. This means that there are clear rules that apply to every residential parcel in the state, and if those rules are followed, your ADU proposal will be quickly approved.

Taken as a whole, ADU laws have established a fast, predictable, uniform, and enforceable process for the approval of ADUs statewide. These laws have transformed these units from being less than 1% of new construction before 2017 to now being approximately 20%, with over 23,000 new ADUs legally completed in 2023.^[7] The number of ADUs is expected to continue growing as the ADU construction and financing industry matures, which will help meet the market feasibility that is estimated to be approximately 1.8 million units in California.^[8] With thousands of ADUs being added every year, ADUs have already become an important part of the state’s stock of new housing, with a growth potential that is not subject to the state’s funding allocations.

This bill seeks to build off of the successes of standardization and predictability by applying them to standard housing units, not just ADUs, through a preapproved program.

Preapproved Plans: In an attempt to increase standardization and predictability in housing approvals, there has been increased interest at the state and local level in preapproved plans for housing development.

Building on the success of prior ADU laws, AB 1332 (Juan Carrillo), Chapter 759, Statutes of 2023, established a preapproved plan program for ADUs which this bill draws heavily from. Under AB 1332, local governments were required to develop a program for the preapproval of ADU plans by January 1, 2025. Under this program, anyone can submit plans for preapproval, and the local government must review them based on existing state ADU and building code standards. The local agency is allowed to charge the same permitting fees as they would for a regular ADU application to review submittals for ADUs requesting preapproval. Once approved, these plans must be posted on the local government’s website, along with the applicant’s contact information (though the agency isn’t responsible for its accuracy). Applicants can also request their ADU plans be removed if they no longer wish to participate in the program. Local governments are also allowed to include their own preapproved ADU plans or ones approved by other local governments in California in the preapproved plan program, since the same ADU standards apply statewide. If someone submits an application for a detached ADU using a preapproved or previously approved plan from the current building code cycle, the local government must approve or deny the permit application within 30 days, without discretionary review. Because this program just went into effect on January 1, 2025, it is still too early to tell how successful or impactful it will be in terms of increasing ADU production.

More recently, the City of Los Angeles (LA) launched a local “Small Lots, Big Impact” initiative to encourage for-sale housing on small lots.^[9] Through this initiative, LA is hosting a design competition for designers to develop plans for multiple small-scale housing units on individual lots, with the winning designs eventually serving as pre-approved plans for all developers to use.^[10] The LA housing department anticipates that these pre-approved designs will be for one to three story developments ranging from fourplexes to 20 unit proposals.^[11] LA anticipates that this program may help the Pacific Palisades neighborhood rebuild more quickly after thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed in January’s Palisades fire.

This bill would build off of the precedent set by AB 1332 (Juan Carrillo) and would be similar to LA’s preapproved plan initiative. It would take the language from AB 1332, establishing a local program for the preapproval of housing, but apply it to single-family and multi-family homes, rather than just ADUs. Under this bill, local governments would be required to set up a program for the preapproval of single-family and multi-family homes, and then expedite the approvals process for applicants who later want to use those preapproved designs by reviewing them within 30 days. As written, local governments would need to set up this program by January 1, 2026. As is the case in AB 1332, local governments would be allowed to charge the same permitting fees as they would for the standard approval of similar housing units to review these plans submitted for preapproval. Project applicants may then use these preapproved plans, or plans identical to them, when applying for housing developments of their own. This preapproved program may help to standardize and simplify the approvals process for homeowners and developers by increasing approvals certainty so long as they stick to the preapproved plans, and by expediting the approvals process.

It is important to note that the same rules apply for ADUs statewide, meaning that you can place a detached ADU meeting state standards on virtually any residential property. This easily lends themselves to a preapproved program. When it comes to standard housing units, there is more nuance when it comes to local zoning. For example, local governments may establish different minimum lot size requirements, density requirements, setbacks, lot coverage, floor area ratios, height limits, parking requirements, design standards, and other standards that vary from zoning district to zoning district. Furthermore, there are often existing, nonconforming, lots within a given zoning district, meaning that what works on one property might not necessarily work on another. This bill, as currently written, does not account for that nuance. The Committee may wish to further tailor this bill to better account for the nuance associated with various local zoning districts, giving the local governments more flexibility to ensure that they are only approving code-compliant projects. The Committee may also wish to refine this bill to acknowledge that different sites will have different conditions like soil conditions, topography, flood risk, and other varying factors that should be accounted for when considering a program for preapproval. Furthermore, this bill is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, which would be the effective date of this bill should it pass. The Committee may wish to consider providing local governments with more time to establish these preapproval programs.

Committee Amendments: The Committee may wish to consider the following amendments to section 65852.29 of this bill to provide local governments with more time to implement this bill, and to address the nuance associated with various local zoning districts and existing site conditions:

65852.29. (a) Each local agency shall, by January July 1, 2026, develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans. The program shall comply with all of the following:

(1) The local agency shall accept single-family and multifamily residential housing plan submissions containing between 2 and 10 units for preapproval.

(2) The local agency shall not restrict who may submitsingle-family and multifamily residential housing plan submissions for preapproval.

(3 2) (A) The local agency shall approve or deny the application for preapproval pursuant to the standards established in applicable state and local housing regulations.

(B) The local agency may charge the applicant the same permitting fees that the local agency would charge an applicant seeking approval for the same-sized single-family or multifamily residential housing unit in reviewing and approving a preapproved housing plan submission.

(43) (A) (i) Single-family and multifamily residential housing plans that are preapproved pursuant to this subdivision shall be posted on the local agency’s internet website.

(ii) The posting of a preapproved housing plan pursuant to clause (i) shall not be considered an endorsement of the applicant or approval of the applicant’s application for a Single-family or multifamily residential housing unit by the local agency.

(B) (i) The local agency shall also post the contact information of the applicant of a preapproved housing plan, as provided by the applicant.

(ii) The local agency shall not be responsible for the accuracy of the contact information posted pursuant to clause (i).

(C) A local agency shall remove a preapproved housing plan from their internet website within 30 days of receiving a request for removal from the applicant.

(54) A local agency may also admit plans that have been developed and preapproved by the local agency for single-family and multifamily residential housing plans into the program.

(5) Nothing in this section shall prevent a local agency from voluntarily accepting and admitting additional plans at higher densities in additional zoning districts into the preapproved housing plan program, at the local agency’s discretion.

(b) A local agency shall approve or deny an application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit ministerially without discretionary review, except that the local agency shall either approve or deny the application within 30 days from the date the local agency receives a completed application, if the application utilizes either of the following, so long as the lot for which the application is proposed meets the soil conditions, topography, flood zone, zoning regulations, and design review standards for which the preapproved plan was designed, as applicable:

(1) A plan for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit that has been preapproved by the local agency within the current triennial California Building Standards Code rulemaking cycle.

(2) A plan that is identical to a plan used in an application for a single- or multifamily residential housing unit approved by the local agency within the current triennial California Building Standards Code rulemaking cycle.

(c) For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) “single-family residential housing unit,” has the same meaning as that term is defined in applicable housing regulations.

(2) “multifamily residential housing unit,” means a housing development proposal containing between 2 and 10 residential units, as defined in applicable housing regulations.

(3) “local agency” means a city, county, or a city and county.

(d) The Legislature finds and declares that the lack of housing is a matter of statewide concern and is not a municipal affair as that term is used in Section 5 of Article XI of the California Constitution. Therefore, this section applies to all cities, including charter cities.

Related Legislation:

AB 1332 (Juan Carrillo), Chapter 759, Statutes of 2023, established a similar preapproved plan program for ADUs.

Arguments in Support: The California Apartment Association writes in support: “One way to streamline new housing approvals is for local governments to have a program where developers can know ahead of time what plans that the jurisdiction will approve for a particular build. That is why preapproved housing plans are important. In 2023 a similar bill, AB 1332 (Carrillo, Juan), which required local governments to create a program for the preapproval of plans for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), was signed into law by the Governor. The goal of AB 1206 is to streamline the approval of single-family and multifamily housing approvals in a similar fashion as the successful ADU law.”

Arguments in Opposition: The California Building Officials write in opposition: “Faster does not always mean better, and although working through the public process of permitting by a local jurisdiction can feel time-consuming, it ensures that overall building, life, and fire safety codes are followed holistically. While we understand that previous measures, such as AB 1332 (2024), have expedited small scale housing projects – those are different types of projects altogether. Applying the same standard to significantly larger construction projects in scope is not feasible given all of the other elements associated with plan check and approval – all in the name of sustainability and public safety.”

Double Referred: This bill was also referred to the Committee on Local Government, where it will be heard should it pass out of this Committee.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

California Apartment Association

Opposition

California Building Officials

Oppose Unless Amended

League of California Cities

Analysis Prepared by: Dori Ganetsos / H. & C.D. / (916) 319-2085

1. California Department of Housing and Community Development, A Home for Every Californian: 2022 Statewide Housing Plan. March 2022, https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/94729ab1648d43b1811c1698a748c136 ↑

2. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Point in Time Counts. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/ahar/2023-ahar-part-1-pit-estimates-of-homelessness-in-the-us.html ↑

3. https://www.hcd.ca.gov/policy-research/housing-challenges.shtml ↑

4. HCD San Francisco Policy & Practice Review, Page 13. Published October 2023. Accessed from: https://www.hcd.ca.gov/policy-and-research/plans-and-reports ↑

5. Based on self-reported Annual Progress Report (APR) data provided by local governments to HCD for housing developments approved the year 2023. These timelines includes time where the applicant was responsible for responding to feedback or any corrections identified by the local government, so they are not entirely representative of the length of time that a local government spent reviewing any given development. https://www.hcd.ca.gov/planning-and-community-development/housing-element-implementation-and-apr-dashboard ↑

6. https://www.hcd.ca.gov/sites/default/files/docs/policy-and-research/adu-handbook-update.pdf ↑

7. Per HCDs “APR Dashboard” https://www.hcd.ca.gov/planning-and-community-development/housing-open-data-tools/housing-element-implementation-and-apr-dashboard. Complete data for 2023 will be made available by June 30, 2024. This statistic relies on data pulled on May 28, 2024. ↑

8. Monkonnen et al, 2020, One to Four: The Market Potential of Fourplexes in California’s Single-Family Neighborhoods, UCLA Working Paper Series: https://www.lewis.ucla.edu/research/market-potential-fourplexes/ ↑

9. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-03-05/los-angeles-launches-effort-to-encourage-starter-homes-on-city-owned-vacant-lots ↑

10. IBID. ↑

11. IBID. ↑