SB 35 & The Promise of Ministerial CEQA Review
Partner Jennifer Hernandez, who leads our West Coast Land Use and Environment Team, was interviewed by The Planning Report about filing the first-ever SB 35 application. The SB 35 bill was signed into law with the intent of increasing "by-right" development and making cities more accountable to meeting regional housing needs. If approved, the 260-unit project in Berkely, CA that Ms. Hernandez is representing could pave the way for similar development projects.
In her interview, Ms. Hernandez outlines the impact of the bill, comments on the need for California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) reform, and explains the potential of housing legislation.
“The real opportunity of SB 35 is in high-cost coastal communities that have traditionally been resistant to multifamily and higher-density housing," she said.