AB 660 — Planning and Zoning Law: postentitlement phase permits: Housing Accountability Act.

Summary

(1) The Planning and Zoning Law requires a local agency, as defined, to compile one or more lists that specify in detail the information required from any applicant for a postentitlement phase permit, as defined. Existing law also establishes time limits for completing reviews regarding whether an application for a postentitlement phase permit is complete and compliant, and whether to approve or deny an application. If a local agency finds that a complete application is noncompliant, existing law requires the local agency to provide the applicant with a list of items that are noncompliant and a description of how the application can be remedied by the applicant within specified time limits. Existing law requires the time limits to be tolled, if the local agency requires review of the application by an outside entity, until the outside entity completes the review and returns the application to the local agency, as specified. This bill would prohibit the local agency from requiring or requesting more than 2 plan check and specification reviews in connection with an application for a building permit, as part of its review, except as specified. The bill would authorize a local agency to deny an application that is not compliant with the permit standards following 2 plan check and specification reviews. The bill would also authorize an applicant to request additional submittals of applications that are not compliant with the permit standards. The bill, if a local agency finds that a complete application is noncompliant, would prohibit a local agency from requesting or requiring any action or inaction as a result of a building inspection undertaken to assess compliance with the applicable building permit standards that would represent a deviation from a previously approved building plan or similar approval for the building permit, except as specified. This bill would remove the above-described tolling requirements relating to outside entity reviews and, instead, would require, if federal or state law requires review of the application by another public agency that is independent of the local agency before the local agency is authorized to act on the application, the time limits to be tolled for the application until the public agency completes the review and returns the application to the local agency. The bill would require the local agency to notify the applicant, within 3 business days of the start of the tolling and within 3 business days of the resumption of the time limit, of the tolling and the resumption of the time limit, respectively. (2) Existing law, if a postentitlement phase permit is determined to be incomplete or noncompliant, requires a local agency to provide a process for an applicant to appeal that decision in writing to the governing body of the agency or, if there is no governing body, to the director of the agency, as provided by that agency. Existing law requires the city or county to provide that the right of appeal is to the governing body or, at their option, the planning commission, or both. Existing law requires a local agency to provide a final written determination on the appeal not later than 60 business days after receipt of the applicant's written appeal, for housing development projects with 25 units or fewer, and not later than 90 business days for a housing development projects with 26 units or more. Existing law also specifies that the fact that an appeal is permitted to both the planning commission and to the governing body does not extend the specified time period. This bill would revise those timelines to not later than 30 business days for housing development projects with 25 units or fewer and 45 business days for housing development projects with 26 units or more. The bill would remove the specification that the fact that an appeal is permitted to both the planning commission and to the governing body does not extend the specified time period. The bill would remove the requirement that, if a postentitlement phase permit is determined to be incomplete or noncompliant, a local agency provide a process for an applicant to appeal that decision to the director of the agency if there is no governing body, as provided by that agency. The bill would remove the requirement that a city or county provide that the right of appeal is to the governing body or, at their option, the planning commission, or both. This bill would authorize the applicant to seek a writ of mandate to compel approval of the application, if the applicant's appeal is denied, or a decision on the appeal is not made within the timelines provided, or an appeals process is not provided as required. By imposing additional duties on local agencies regarding postentitlement phase permits, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) Existing law, the Housing Accountability Act, among other things, prohibits a local agency from disapproving, or conditioning approval in a manner that renders infeasible, a housing development project for very low, low-, or moderate-income households unless the local agency makes written findings as to one of certain sets of conditions, as specified. The act also requires, when a proposed housing development project complies with applicable, objective general plan, zoning, and subdivision standards and criteria in effect at the time that the application was deemed complete, but the local agency proposes to disapprove the project or to impose a condition that the project be developed at a lower density, that the local agency base its decision regarding the proposed housing development project upon written findings supported by a preponderance of the evidence on the record that 2 specified conditions exist. Existing law defines the term "disapprove the housing development project" for these purposes to include any instance in which a local agency takes certain actions or fails to comply with certain requirements, including the time limits described above. Existing law makes a local agency's failure to meet the above-described time limits relating to postentitlement phase permits a violation of the Housing Accountability Act. This bill would, instead, make a violation of the above-described provisions relating to postentitlement phase permits, among others, a violation of the Housing Accountability Act. The bill would also revise the definition of "disapprove the housing development project" under the Housing Accountability Act to include any instance in which a local agency fails to comply with any of the provisions described above relating to postentitlement phase permits. By requiring local agencies to take certain actions, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (4) The bill would make other conforming changes and would provide that certain changes are declaratory of existing law. (5) 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. (6) 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.

Bill Text

• Amended 07/17/25 - Amended Senate Current pdf July 17, 2025
• Amended 07/03/25 - Amended Senate pdf July 03, 2025
• Amended 06/25/25 - Amended Senate pdf June 25, 2025
• Amended 04/24/25 - Amended Assembly pdf April 24, 2025
• Amended 04/09/25 - Amended Assembly pdf April 09, 2025
• Amended 03/24/25 - Amended Assembly pdf March 24, 2025
• Introduced 02/14/25 - Introduced pdf February 14, 2025
• AB660 View text html

Action History

1. August 29, 2025

   In committee: Held under submission.

2. August 18, 2025

   In committee: Referred to suspense file.

3. July 17, 2025

   Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

4. July 16, 2025

   From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (July 15).

5. July 03, 2025

   Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HOUSING.

6. July 02, 2025

   From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on HOUSING. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (July 2).

7. June 25, 2025

   From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.

8. June 18, 2025

   Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and HOUSING.

9. June 05, 2025

   In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

10. June 04, 2025

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 2056.)

11. May 27, 2025

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

12. May 23, 2025

    Coauthors revised.

13. May 23, 2025

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).

14. May 14, 2025

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.

15. May 01, 2025

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

16. April 28, 2025

    Re-referred to Com. on H. & C.D.

17. April 24, 2025

    Read second time and amended.

18. April 23, 2025

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on H. & C.D. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 23).

19. April 21, 2025

    Assembly Rule 56 suspended. (Page 1163.)

20. April 21, 2025

    (Pending re-refer to Com. on H. & C. D.)

21. April 10, 2025

    Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.

22. April 09, 2025

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. Read second time and amended.

23. March 25, 2025

    Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.

24. March 24, 2025

    Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and H. & C.D.

25. March 24, 2025

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. Read second time and amended.

26. February 15, 2025

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 17.

27. February 14, 2025

    Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

• Lori D. Wilson · Primary

Votes

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