California Assembly passes package of housing and disaster-relief bills after wildfire emergency debate

The California State Assembly on March 6 passed a package of bills intended to speed housing production, create temporary housing options for people displaced by recent wildfires and shore up insurance mechanisms used after catastrophic losses.

Assemblymember McKenner presented AB 311, which the Assembly described as allowing a tenant to temporarily house a person or family — and their pet — displaced by a declared state of emergency; the clerk recorded an aye vote on the bill (Aye 70, No 0). "AB 3 11 provides an important option for displaced residents and their pets to temporarily reside in a friend or family member's rental home," McKenner said during floor remarks.

The bill package also included AB 299, which Assemblymember Gabriel said would allow families displaced by wildfires to stay at hotels, motels and short-term rentals for longer than 30 days without triggering a landlord-tenant relationship that might otherwise end their stay. Gabriel told colleagues the bill builds on his prior 2022 law, and the clerk recorded Aye 70, No 0 on the bill.

Several measures focused on easing and accelerating construction and permitting to help California rebuild and add housing. Assemblymember Schiavo said AB 301 would "establish clear and consistent timelines ensuring that state agencies adhere to the same permitting deadlines as local jurisdictions already do." Assemblymember Ward presented AB 253 to allow licensed third-party professionals to perform plan checks when local building departments take longer than 30 days. Both bills passed with unanimous recorded tallies.

Assemblymember Schultz presented AB 306, a temporary…