Single-family and multifamily housing units: preapproved plans.

Assembly Member Harabedian's proposal to streamline California's residential construction approval process would require local agencies to establish preapproval programs for single-family and multifamily housing plans by January 2026. Under the proposed system, agencies would review standardized building plans that, once approved, could be reused for multiple projects without requiring additional design review.

The legislation establishes specific requirements for these preapproval programs. Local agencies must accept plan submissions from any applicant and review them according to existing state and local housing regulations. Approved plans would be posted on agency websites along with submitter contact information, though agencies must remove listings within 30 days if requested by the applicant. The bill permits agencies to charge standard permitting fees for plan reviews and to include their own pre-developed housing plans in the program.

For projects using preapproved plans or designs identical to previously approved projects within the current California Building Standards Code cycle, agencies would have 30 days to process applications through a ministerial review. The bill's provisions would apply to all California cities, including charter cities, based on legislative findings that housing supply constitutes a matter of statewide concern. Local agencies could levy fees to cover program costs, eliminating the need for state reimbursement of this mandate.