Building regulations: state building standards.

Assembly Members Schultz and Rivas have proposed a six-year pause on local modifications to residential building standards in California, aiming to stabilize construction costs and increase housing production. The legislation would prohibit cities and counties from changing residential building requirements between June 2025 and June 2031, except in cases of emergency health and safety needs or home hardening measures.

The bill restricts the California Building Standards Commission from considering or adopting new residential building standards during this period unless they meet specific criteria, such as emergency safety requirements or necessary updates to align with model codes. Local governments would retain the ability to implement previously approved modifications that were in effect as of January 2025. The measure also expands California's recognized model codes to include the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code.

For residential developments, the building standards in place when a model home design receives permit approval would apply to all future homes based on that design for up to 10 years, unless substantial changes are made. The bill's authors cite California's housing shortage and affordability crisis as key drivers, asserting that regulatory consistency would reduce construction barriers and costs. As an urgency statute, the measure would take effect immediately upon passage.