The Board argues that the environmental law, while important, has too often been ‘weaponized’ by NIMBY groups to delay or halt housing development.

While the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) “has improved countless construction projects,” the Los Angeles Times Editorial Board argues that reform of the landmark law is desperately needed. According to the Board, “CEQA lawsuits have also too often been used to thwart progress on the state’s most pressing needs by stalling or blocking important projects.”
The Board provides an example from Berkeley, where a CEQA lawsuit is holding up the planned construction of hundreds of housing units for students and unhoused people in People’s Park. A district court ruled that the university did not conduct a thorough environmental review about the potential impacts of 1,100 student residents while ignoring the benefits of adding dense housing near campus. The Board writes that “That’s one of the pitfalls of CEQA — the law only considers the possible negative effects from a project, without giving equal weight to its benefits or the consequences if the project isn’t built.”
The Board argues that rather than creating piecemeal CEQA exemptions, such as the Berkeley project is likely to receive, state legislators should reform the law to promote development that makes sense. But the Board sees little political will to reform the law at the legislative level, urging instead that Governor Newsom “draft clear, broad exemptions for urban infill development and clean-energy projects.”
FULL STORY: Editorial: CEQA is too easily weaponized to block housing and slow environmental progress

The End of Single-Family Zoning in Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is the latest jurisdiction in the country to effectively end single-family zoning.

‘Train Daddy’ Andy Byford to Oversee Amtrak’s High-Speed Rail Efforts
Byford, who formerly ran NYC Transit and Transport for London, could bring renewed vigor to the agency’s plans to expand regional rail in the United States.

Seattle Bus Lane Cameras Capture Over 100,000 Violations
An automated traffic enforcement pilot program caught drivers illegally using transit lanes more than 110,000 times in less than a year.

Immigration Grows, Population Drops in Many U.S. Counties
International immigration to the country’s most populous areas tripled even as major metropolitan areas continued to lose population.

$616 Million in Development Incentives Approved for District Detroit
The “Transformational Brownfield” incentives approved by the Detroit City Council for the $1.5 billion District Detroit still require approval by the state.

Affordable Housing Development Rejected for Lack of Third Staircase in Connecticut
The New Canaan Planning Commission rejected a development proposal, including 31 below-market-rate apartments, for lack of a third staircase, among other reasons, at a time when advocates are pushing to relax two-staircase requirements.
Houston-Galveston Area Council
City of Malibu
Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Spearfish
City of Lomita
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