State Budget Bill Includes Landmark CEQA and Housing Law Changes

California enacted AB 130 and SB 131 to accelerate housing production and reform CEQA. AB 130 introduces a new CEQA exemption for infill housing up to 20 acres, streamlines approvals, freezes building codes, and allows fee-based VMT mitigation. SB 131 adds CEQA exemptions for various projects and streamlines review for near-exempt housing projects. Both laws aim to reduce delays and promote sustainable development but leave some implementation questions unresolved.