The Excerpt

SPECIAL | Attempt to fix California's severe housing crisis offers lessons to U.S.

Jul 31, 2025
Ben Metcalf, Managing Director of the Turner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley, shares his insights on the pressing housing crisis in California and its implications nationwide. He discusses potential solutions like the repeal of outdated housing regulations, which could spur development. The conversation touches on the balance between rapid housing growth and environmental concerns, highlighting innovative reforms and bipartisan efforts across states. Metcalf emphasizes the need for collaboration to address affordable housing effectively.
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INSIGHT

CEQA's Original Purpose vs. Impact

  • CEQA was meant to prevent harmful environmental impacts from unchecked development by requiring environmental reviews.
  • It evolved into a tool that delayed housing projects and allowed lawsuits, effectively creating veto power over development.
INSIGHT

Targeted CEQA Rollback Explained

  • The CEQA rollback applies mainly to infill residential projects, speeding up their approvals.
  • This aims to balance faster development with lower environmental scrutiny in less damaging urban areas.
INSIGHT

Environmentalists' Mixed Response

  • Environmentalists are concerned that removing reviews risks unknown habitat and pollution damage.
  • But opposition is less fierce than before, reflecting a shift to broader climate change priorities.
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