Residential developments: building standards: review.

Assembly Member Ward's proposal to modify California's residential building standards would establish new procedures for potentially allowing 3-to-10-unit developments to be constructed under the California Residential Code. The Department of Housing and Community Development would convene a working group by December 2026, including representatives from the Building Standards Commission, State Fire Marshal, Division of the State Architect, and Energy Commission, to research and recommend relevant building standard amendments while maintaining health and safety requirements.

The bill creates a structured timeline for implementation, requiring the working group to submit findings to the Legislature by December 2028. If amendments are recommended, the department would develop standards for consideration during the California Building Standards Code update occurring after January 2031. The legislation maintains existing electrical, mechanical, plumbing and energy code requirements for all residential occupancies.

A parallel provision requires the department to analyze construction cost pressures in residential development by December 2026, followed by reviews every three years to inform potential standard revisions. The reviews aim to identify opportunities to reduce new residential construction costs by 30 percent through building standard updates. This assessment process would begin with the first triennial code update after January 2031.