Assembly committee advances AB 253 to allow licensed third‑party post‑entitlement plan checks

The California State Assembly Local Government Committee on March 12 voted to pass as amended AB 253 (Ward), sending the bill to the Appropriations Committee. The measure, presented by Assemblymember Quirk‑Silva on behalf of Assemblymember Ward, would allow licensed, insured third‑party professionals to perform post‑entitlement plan checks for small residential projects when local building departments cannot complete reviews within 30 days.

AB 253 addresses delays in post‑entitlement permitting that supporters said stall construction and drive up costs for small projects. “California is in the middle of a housing crisis and delays in the residential building permitting process are often cited as significant constraints restricting the housing production pipeline,” Assemblymember Quirk‑Silva said in opening remarks while presenting the bill for the author. She told the committee the bill “would allow homeowners and developers to hire licensed third party professionals to review a certain post entitlement…