"LOS ANGELES — Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law an overhaul of California’s landmark environmental protection rules that he says is essential to address the state’s critical housing shortage and long-running homeless crisis.
The Democratic governor widely seen as a potential 2028 presidential candidate called the two-bill package a historic reshaping of environmental rules that, while initially well intentioned, too often resulted in tangles of litigation and costly delays that strangled much-needed development.
Newsom said the bills, which he signed Monday night in Sacramento, represent the most consequential housing reform in recent California history. In general, the idea is to hasten reviews of housing projects under certain conditions, such as in dense urban communities.
“We have too much demand chasing too little supply,” Newsom said at a news conference. “So many of the challenges that ail us can be connected back to this issue.”"
Michael R. Blood and Christopher Weber report for the Associated Press July 1, 2025.
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