Housing development projects: objective standards: campus development zone.

Assembly Member Fong's legislation expands California's streamlined housing approval process to include developments within one mile of college and university campuses, aiming to address the state's student housing crisis through targeted policy changes. The bill modifies the Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act to create "campus development zones" where qualifying housing projects can receive expedited ministerial review if they meet specific affordability and development standards.

The legislation establishes distinct affordability requirements for campus zone developments. Rental projects must dedicate either 13% of units to extremely low and very low-income residents, including students experiencing homelessness, or 15% to lower-income households, students, or faculty. Owner-occupied developments must offer either 30% of units at moderate-income levels or 15% at lower-income levels. These affordability provisions must be maintained for 55 years for rentals and 45 years for ownership units.

Projects in campus zones can build up to 80 units per acre in metropolitan areas and 70 units per acre in non-metropolitan regions, with height limits of 65 feet. The bill removes parking requirements except for bicycle, electric vehicle, and accessible spaces. Developments must incorporate air filtration and ventilation standards when located near freeways and cannot be sited within 3,200 feet of active oil or gas facilities. Commercial tenants displaced by new housing receive graduated relocation assistance based on their tenure at the site.

The Department of Housing and Community Development must evaluate outcomes of campus zone developments as part of its mandated 2031 report examining the broader impacts of streamlined housing approvals. This assessment will analyze metrics including units built, affordability levels, geographic distribution, environmental effects, and construction job creation.