Assembly approves package of housing bills to speed post‑fire recovery and ease construction rules

SACRAMENTO — The California State Assembly on March 6, 2025, approved a package of bills intended to speed housing recovery after January’s wildfires and to ease administrative hurdles for housing construction across the state. Lawmakers voted to pass measures that allow displaced residents expanded temporary housing options, authorize financial tools for the California Fair Plan, permit third‑party plan checks when local review is delayed, and pause certain updates to the state building code.

The package of urgency measures included AB 311 (tenants hosting displaced people and pets), AB 299 (extended stays at hotels/motels/short‑term rentals), AB 226 (California Fair Plan bonding authority), AB 253 (third‑party plan checks), AB 301 (expedited approval timelines), AB 306 (temporary moratorium on new residential building‑code updates), AB 462 (ADU coastal exemption for Los Angeles County), AB 493 (interest on escrowed insurance funds for homeowners), and AB 597 (consumer protections for public adjusters). Each bill was presented, debated briefly on the Assembly floor and passed by recorded votes.

Why it matters: supporters said the bills remove immediate barriers to housing and reconstruction after catastrophic fires and reduce administrative delays that they say raise construction costs. Opponents and some commenters urged further or different action on regulatory costs and on the role of state agencies in rulemaking.

AB 311: temporary residence for disaster‑displaced people — Assemblymember McKinner, the bill’s author, said AB 311 "allows a tenant to temporarily house a person or family and their pet displaced by a declared state of emergency," citing the January 2025 Los Angeles County wildfires that he said destroyed 18,000 structures and displaced more than 50,000 people. McKinner said the measure removes lease barriers that can prevent friends and family from providing temporary shelter. The Assembly voted 70–0 on both the urgency and the bill; the measure passed and was transmitted to the Senate.

AB 299: extended hotel/motel stays for displaced families — Assemblymember Laura Gabriel (Assemblymember Gabriel) said AB 299 builds on prior shelter law for homelessness and would allow families displaced by disasters to remain in hotels, motels or short‑term rentals for longer than 30 days without triggering unintended landlord‑tenant consequences. Gabriel said the bill has support from local governments and housing advocates and reported no registered opposition. The Assembly recorded 70–0 votes on urgency and the bill; the measure passed.

AB 226: California Fair Plan financing authority — Assemblymember Calderon said AB 226 would allow the California Fair Plan to request that the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank issue bonds if the Fair Plan faces financial strain after catastrophic events. Calderon described the Fair Plan as an insurer of last resort and said oversight hearings showed the plan needed additional financial tools. The Assembly approved the urgency and the bill, 73–0.

AB 253 and AB 301: private plan checks and expedited timelines — Assemblymember Ward described AB 253 as a mechanism to allow licensed third‑party professionals to conduct plan checks if a local building department cannot complete reviews within 30 days; Assemblymember Schiavo said AB 301 establishes clearer, consistent timelines to expedite approvals. Supporters urged the bills would shorten delays that increase costs and slow construction; the Assembly passed AB 253 (72–0) and AB 301 (73–0).

AB 306: six‑year pause on new residential building‑code updates — Assemblymember Schultz presented AB 306 as a six‑year moratorium on new state building‑code updates that affect residential construction, with exceptions for emergency health and safety changes. Schultz said the pause is intended to provide stability and affordability for builders and homeowners. Opponents and some speakers acknowledged the bill’s goal but warned it is only a first step and expressed concern about delegation of regulatory authority to state agencies, including the California Air Resources Board. The Assembly approved AB 306 on the floor votes recorded as 67–0.

AB 462: ADU coastal permit exemption for Los Angeles County — Assemblymember Lowenthal said AB 462 would exempt accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in Los Angeles County from coastal development permit requirements and create similar exemptions for future disaster‑impacted coastal communities, bringing ADU approvals in the county more into alignment with the state’s streamlined 60‑day ADU law outside the coastal zone. Lowenthal and supporters argued the change would speed construction of housing that can help displaced residents and free up other housing inventory. The Assembly recorded 75–0 in favor on the bill.

Other measures in the package — Assemblymember Harbidian presented AB 493, which requires lenders to pay interest on certain escrowed insurance proceeds to homeowners after a loss; and AB 597, which tightens consumer protections and fee limits for public adjusters. Both bills passed on recorded votes (AB 493: 72–0; AB 597: 73–0).

What passed, and what’s next: all measures were passed with recorded votes on the Assembly floor and were sent to the Senate for consideration; several were acted on as urgency measures to take effect immediately if enacted. Supporters asked for swift Senate action to facilitate housing recovery and reduce delays in rebuilding.

Context and dissent: supporters repeatedly framed the package as a rapid, practical response to the January wildfires; some members said the measures do not fully address long‑term affordability and called for further reform. Assemblymember De Maio and others urged additional, more comprehensive steps and warned against leaving regulatory authority unchecked in administrative agencies.

Votes at a glance (selected from the package): AB 311 — Ayes 70, No 0. AB 299 — Ayes 70, No 0. AB 226 — Ayes 73, No 0. AB 253 — Ayes 72, No 0. AB 301 — Ayes 73, No 0. AB 306 — Ayes 67, No 0. AB 462 — Ayes 75, No 0. AB 493 — Ayes 72, No 0. AB 597 — Ayes 73, No 0.

Ending: The measures now move to the state Senate; supporters on the Assembly floor urged swift Senate consideration so local rebuilding and housing support could proceed without added delay.