Governor Gavin Newsom announced an executive order over the weekend to suspend the California Environmental Quality Act and the California Coastal Act for victims of the Los Angeles-area wildfires. This will allow them to rebuild their homes faster without bureaucratic delays. Newsom described the policies as “bureaucratic red tape” and emphasized the need to cut permitting delays and streamline the rebuilding process to help communities recover quickly and stronger. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also issued her own executive order to expedite housing construction in response to the fires, citing the need to clear away red tape and bureaucracy for an urgent and compassionate response.
While the move to remove barriers for wildfire victims is commendable, there is a call for broad and permanent regulatory relief for construction across California. Newsom and Bass’s recognition of the hindrances posed by regulations suggests a need for more effective and less oppressive laws to enable developers to meet the housing needs of Californians efficiently. There is an emphasis on applying the insights gained from the wildfire response more broadly to unleash the full potential of developers in addressing housing challenges in the state.
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