Following our legislative overview in Part 1, which focused on housing, streamlining, and code modernization, Part 2 of this series turns to another critical priority for AIA California and the architectural profession: resilience and climate adaptation.
As California continues to confront the realities of climate-driven disasters—from wildfires to extreme heat—architects are increasingly called upon to design buildings and communities that not only survive these events but actively contribute to long-term sustainability, recovery, and public safety.
This selection of six bills illustrates how smart policy can support design excellence, and how architects can lead in resilience planning and post-disaster rebuilding:
Disaster Assistance
Bill Package – Support
This disaster assistance package includes a series of coordinated bills aimed at accelerating recovery and rebuilding efforts following the January 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Key proposals include AB 239, which would establish a state-led disaster housing task force to streamline interagency coordination and expedite post-fire housing recovery; AB 818, requiring local governments to streamline permitting for rebuilding efforts within strict timelines; and AB 783, which would allow the state to negotiate discounted contracts for residential construction materials, reducing costs for fire-impacted communities. Complementary bills (AB 265, AB 685) provide financial recovery support for small businesses and nonprofits, while SB 663 extends property tax relief and rebuilding timelines for damaged properties. AB 1284 strengthens California’s long-term disaster preparedness by requiring state and regional recovery frameworks based on lessons from recent disasters. This package is especially important as it supports faster rebuilding, clearer permitting processes, affordable materials access, and coordinated recovery planning, all of which are essential for efficient post-disaster design and construction. AIA California supports these bills for their potential to reduce delays and improve the built environment’s resilience and recovery capacity.
Electrification
AB-39 – Support
AB 39 (Zbur), the Local Electrification Planning Act, would require all California cities and counties—beginning in 2027 and no later than 2030—to prepare or integrate into their general plans a local electrification strategy that sets goals, policies, and implementation measures to support the expansion of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and retrofitting of homes to install electric appliances. Importantly, it emphasizes equitable access by prioritizing disadvantaged communities, low-income households, and small businesses in planning efforts. This bill represents a significant opportunity to shape the future of sustainable community design by embedding electrification strategies into long-range development planning. It aligns with AIA California’s goals to decarbonize the built environment, reduce operational and embodied carbon, and design for a resilient, zero-emissions future. AB 39 reinforces the architect’s role in advancing policy-driven design solutions that integrate building electrification, sustainable mobility, and equity into the built environment. AIA California supports AB 39 for its forward-looking approach to climate resilience and carbon reduction at the community scale.
Streamlining
SB 677 – Support
SB 677 (Wiener) seeks to expand and strengthen California’s housing streamlining laws by enhancing past bills, SB 9 and SB 423, to remove barriers to small-scale and multifamily infill housing. SB 9 (2021) allows for ministerial approval of up to two homes and lot splits on single-family zoned parcels statewide, aiming to increase housing in low-density neighborhoods. SB 423 (2023) extends and strengthens SB 35, providing streamlined, by-right approval for multifamily housing in cities that have not met their Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) targets, especially for low-income housing. SB 677 builds on these by prohibiting HOAs and restrictive covenants from blocking SB 9 projects, eliminating owner-occupancy requirements, clarifying demolition rules for disaster-damaged properties, and limiting excessive local development restrictions. It also reduces affordability thresholds under SB 423 from 50% to 20% in underperforming cities and increases RHNA review frequency. SB 677 is important as it supports faster approvals, minimizes permitting roadblocks, and creates new opportunities to design and deliver infill and affordable housing. AIA California supports the bill for its potential to drive housing production and promote efficient, equitable, and design-forward development.
Transit-Oriented Development
SB 79 – Support
SB 79 (Wiener) aims to accelerate transit-oriented development (TOD) by expanding how public transit agencies can use their land and by requiring local governments to allow multifamily housing near major transit stops. It redefines “agency use” to include land leased for commercial or industrial activities supporting transit, giving agencies more flexibility in land utilization. It also mandates minimum zoning standards for height, density, and floor area ratios based on transit accessibility tiers, ensuring consistent development potential around transit hubs. Additionally, the bill strengthens the Housing Accountability Act by penalizing jurisdictions that reject compliant housing projects in high-resource areas. This bill is significant because it supports denser, mixed-use, transit-accessible development, aligns with climate and mobility goals, and opens new opportunities for urban infill and adaptive reuse projects. AIA California supports SB 79 as it promotes sustainable community design, housing production near transit, and strategic land use that integrates architecture with broader transportation and environmental objectives.
Permit Streamlining
AB 253 – Support
AB 253 (Ward), the California Residential Private Permitting Review Act, allows applicants for residential building permits to use licensed private professionals, such as architects and engineers, to conduct plan checks if a local building department takes more than 30 days or estimates a longer review time. The bill also requires building departments to post permit fee schedules online and provide estimated plan check timelines upon application. AB 253 is a step toward streamlining the permitting process, reducing costly delays, and improving housing production efficiency. AIA California supports AB 253 because it empowers licensed architects to help alleviate bottlenecks in local permitting systems while maintaining safety and code compliance. The bill recognizes architects’ professional qualifications and accountability, offering a trusted, alternative pathway to move small residential projects forward more predictably and rapidly, critical during California’s ongoing housing crisis.
Resiliency
Resiliency Package – Support
This resilience package of bills aims to improve California’s preparedness for wildfires and strengthen the built environment’s ability to withstand climate-related disasters. AB 1 and AB 888 focus on building hardening and insurance reform, requiring regular updates to wildfire mitigation standards and establishing a California Safe Homes grant program to fund retrofits. AB 389 and SB 269 offer personal income tax credits for fire-resistant improvements and vegetation management, helping offset costs for homeowners and incentivizing safer design. AB 623 streamlines the implementation of defensible space and grid resilience projects by exempting them from CEQA review. This package is highly relevant: it creates funding opportunities and streamlined permitting pathways for designing resilient, fire-hardened structures, encourages innovation in wildfire-adapted design, and aligns with AIA California’s goals to promote safety, sustainability, and climate resilience in the built environment. By reducing regulatory and financial barriers, these bills support architects in delivering safer, smarter buildings in high-risk areas.
Taken together, these measures signal a growing recognition of the architect’s role in disaster recovery, housing equity, and climate leadership. AIA California supports these bills as meaningful steps toward building a safer, more sustainable future—through both policy advocacy and design excellence.
As we continue to track these bills through the legislative process, we invite you to follow along, share your expertise, and lend your voice to help shape the future of California’s built environment.
