California's construction defect liability laws were meant to protect homeowners.
But San Diego Housing Federation's CEO argues they've made condos and townhomes too legally risky to build — eliminating a key path to homeownership
voiceofsandiego.org/2025/10/14/c...
[Bill Alert] AB 2074 has passed out of the Natural Resources Committee.
The bill would streamline the construction of high-rise, residential, and mixed-use developments near regional transit hubs, backed by a low-interest revolving loan fund to help reduce costs.
cayimby.org/legislation/...
Smaller, more affordable homes for first-time buyers have all but disappeared.
Scott Lincicome explains on @opinion.bloomberg.com who’s to blame.
🏙️ Want to make a difference this summer?
California YIMBY is hiring a Community Impact Intern — $21/hr, remote, June–Sept.
You'll organize volunteers, build coalitions & help drive change statewide.
Apply by May 8
cayimby.org/community-im...
Thank you to Asm. Haney for authoring!
Thank you to Sen. Grayson for authoring!
[Bill Alert] AB 2074 has passed out of Local Government Committee.
AB 2074 streamlines high-rise residential and mixed-use development near transit hubs in California's largest cities. The bill includes a low-interest revolving loan fund to reduce construction costs.
cayimby.org/legislation/...
[Bill Alert] SB 1014 has passed out of the Local Government committee.
The bill requires cities to disclose infrastructure requirements within 30 days of initial application and can't add new ones after permit application, reducing project risk and costs.
cayimby.org/legislation/...
[Bill Alert] SB 1014 has passed out of the Local Government committee.
The bill requires cities to disclose infrastructure requirements within 30 days of a housing application and can't add new ones after the permit is issued, reducing project risk and costs.
California's downtowns face office vacancy rates of 30%+.
Ab 2074 would accelerate downtown recovery by streamlining approvals for high-rise housing near transit hubs and creating a $500M low-interest loan fund to help close the financing gap.
www.kpbs.org/news/politic...
Join us for YIMBY Lobby Day on May 19th from 10 am to 5pm!
Sign up below. Limited financial assistance available.
actionnetwork.org/forms/2026-y...
Miss our rally for AB 2074?
Catch the full replay here: www.youtube.com/live/S8GDbgD...
Proud to partner with Asm. Haney and the State Building and Construction Trades Council to accelerate the recovery of our downtowns!
We're proud to stand with @matthaneysf.bsky.social, Mayor Gloria, the State Building & Construction Trades Council, and San Diego labor & housing leaders in support of AB 2074.
The bill would accelerate streamlining the construction of high-rise housing in the urban areas of CA's largest cities.
Our analysis found LA County's 12,000 parking lots are undervalued by $8.6 billion due to Prop 13 — costing $101 million in lost property taxes in 2019 alone.
Owners paying 1978-era tax rates have little incentive to sell or redevelop.
cayimby.org/blog/los-ang...
U.S. elevators cost 3x as much as in peer countries — driven by oversized cabin requirements, fragmented local codes, and a system that restricts available workers.
The result is more walk-up buildings with no elevators at all, leaving fewer accessible options.
cayimby.org/blog/movin-o...
A UCLA parcel analysis found allowing fourplexes statewide could yield 1.2 million new homes — with the biggest gains in coastal markets, where homes would more than double.
ADU reforms add another 1.5 million potential homes.
cayimby.org/blog/the-mat...
A California study found condo developers pay 3-4x more for liability insurance than rental builders — because 80-85% of projects get sued.
This can add up to $18,300 per condo in added costs, pricing middle-income buyers out of for-sale housing.
cayimby.org/blog/the-leg...
A 2020 Terner Center study found new owner-occupied homes are 50% larger than in the 1980s — despite shrinking household sizes.
The result: fewer entry-level homes, and first-time buyers who are increasingly older, wealthier, and whiter.
cayimby.org/blog/housing...
A RAND study of 144 California, Colorado, and Texas projects found California's affordable housing costs $640/sqft versus $228 in Texas.
Slow permitting (49 vs. 27 months), impact fees 20x higher, and prescriptive design standards are the main drivers
cayimby.org/blog/why-hou...
A 2020 Terner Center survey of 40 California jurisdictions found impact fees are opaque, inconsistently timed, and structured to favor single-family homes over apartments.
Just 28% of cities posted studies justifying their fee rates online.
cayimby.org/blog/impact-...
A 2020 Terner Center study found California hard construction costs rose 25% over the past decade.
Permitting delays compound costs further — but researchers note some cost drivers reflect deliberate policy tradeoffs rather than inefficiencies to fix.
cayimby.org/blog/how-to-...
U.S. building codes require two stairwells above three stories, which forces a layout that squeezes out larger apartments.
Much of the developed world allows single-stair buildings even up to 10 stories with no measurable safety tradeoff and more room for families.
cayimby.org/blog/the-sin...
California YIMBY is pleased to endorse @esmeraldasoria.bsky.social for Senate District 14!
California YIMBY is pleased to endorse @senbenallen.bsky.social for Insurance Commissioner.
California cities: progress toward RHNA...
San Diego: 29% ... highest vacancy rate in 15 years, rents falling
Los Angeles: 18% ...
San Francisco: 5% ... rock bottom vacancy rate, fastest rising rents in the country
www.costar.com/article/5467...
[Bill Alert] AB 2074 has passed out of the Assembly Housing Committee.
AB 2074 streamlines high-rise residential and mixed-use development near transit hubs in California's largest cities, backed by a low-interest revolving loan fund.
Thank you to Asm. Matt Haney.
