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Oct 10, 2025
Governor Newsom builds on this year's historic housing reforms, signs legislation to accelerate housing and affordability
What you need to know: Governor Newsom signed legislation to help boost housing affordability for California families, continuing the momentum of the state's monumental housing progress.
LOS ANGELES – Building on the historic housing legislation signed earlier this year, Governor Gavin Newsom today signed Senate Bill 79 (Wiener) and additional bills to make it easier and faster to build more homes — expanding inventory and access across California. These measures cut red tape and hold local governments accountable, so families don't have to wait years for housing to be approved and built in their communities.
The legislation is intended to meet the needs of Californians across our state – from providing farmworkers with safe and affordable homes, to converting empty office buildings into housing, and creating more housing near public transportation. Together, these efforts are about making sure Californians have more housing choices and access to opportunity.
"All Californians deserve an affordable place to live — close to jobs, schools, and opportunity. Housing near transit means shorter commutes, lower costs, and more time with family. When we invest in housing, we're investing in people — their chance to build a future, raise a family, and be part of a community."
Governor Gavin Newsom
The bills signed today will help California meet its housing goals by:
✅ Accelerating permitting by speeding up the housing permitting and inspection process at every step – making approvals faster, more predictable, and easier to navigate.
✅ Streamlining production by advancing housing reforms that respond to the diverse needs of Californian communities and expand affordable, climate-smart housing so families, workers, and students can live closer to jobs, schools, and opportunity.
✅ Strengthening enforcement by reinforcing and strengthening housing laws with stronger tools to provide real accountability.
✅ Pairing housing with commonsense climate measures by lowering costs for transit-oriented housing and removing barriers to installing EV charging stations in condominium and apartment buildings.
"SB 79 is a historic step toward tackling the root cause of California's affordability crisis — our profound shortage of homes and too few people having access to transit," said Senator Scott Wiener. "In California, we talk a lot about where we don't want to build homes, but rarely about where we do — until now. It's been a long road to tackle these decades-old problems, but thanks to Governor Newsom's leadership, today marks a new day for affordable housing and public transportation in California."
The full list of the signed bills include:
California's Housing Model
More on The Californer
Since day one of the Newsom Administration, the Governor — in partnership with California's legislature — has worked tirelessly to confront America's decades-in-the-making housing and homelessness crisis with urgency and innovation. This effort is reversing decades of inaction and building a lasting model for the nation:
✅ Addressing mental health and its impact on homelessness: Ending a long-standing 7,000 behavioral health bed shortfall in California by rapidly expanding community treatment centers and permanent supportive housing units. In 2024, voters approved Governor Newsom's Proposition 1 which is transforming California's mental health systems with a $6.4 billion Behavioral Health Bond for treatment settings and housing with services for veterans and people experiencing homelessness, and reforming the Behavioral Health Services Act to focus on people with the most serious illnesses, provide care to people with substance disorders, and support their housing needs.
✅ Creating new pathways for those who need the most help: Updating conservatorship laws for the first time in 50 years to include people who are unable to provide for their personal safety or necessary medical care, in addition to food, clothing, or shelter, due to either severe substance use disorder or serious mental health illness. Creating a new CARE court system that creates court-ordered plans for up to 24 months for people struggling with untreated mental illness, and often substance use challenges.
✅ Streamlining and prioritizing building of new housing: Governor Newsom made creating more housing a state priority for the first time in history. He has signed into law groundbreaking reforms to break down systemic barriers that have stood in the way of building the housing Californians need, including broad CEQA reforms.
✅ Creating shelter and support: Providing funding and programs for local governments, coupled with strong accountability measures to ensure that each local government is doing its share to build housing, and create shelter and support, so that people rescued from encampments have a safe place to go.
✅ Removing dangerous encampments: Governor Newsom has set a strong expectation for all local governments to address encampments in their communities and help connect people with support. In 2024, Governor Newsom filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court defending communities' authority to clear encampments. After the Supreme Court affirmed that authority, Governor Newsom issued an executive order directing state entities and urging local governments to clear encampments and connect people with support, using a state-tested model that helps ensure encampments are addressed humanely and people are given adequate notice and support.
Reversing a decades-in-the-making crisis
Between 2014 and 2019 — before Governor Newsom took office — unsheltered homelessness in California rose by approximately 37,000 people. Since then, under this Administration, California has significantly slowed that growth, even as many other states have seen worsening trends.
In 2024, while homelessness increased nationally by over 18%, California limited its overall increase to just 3% — a lower rate than in 40 other states. The state also held the growth of unsheltered homelessness to just 0.45%, compared to a national increase of nearly 7%. States like Florida, Texas, New York, and Illinois saw larger increases both in percentage and absolute numbers. California also achieved the nation's largest reduction in veteran homelessness and made meaningful progress in reducing youth homelessness.
More on The Californer
This year, California's largest communities are reporting substantial decreases in homelessness – indicating that California's comprehensive and strategic approach to reversing this national crisis and getting people out of encampments is working.
Housing and homelessness, Press releases, Recent news (https://www.gov.ca.gov/category/recent-news/)
Recent news
Marking World Mental Health Day, Governor Newsom signs AB 727 to make mental health resources more accessible to LGBTQ youth (https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.ca.gov%2F2025%2F10%2F10%2Fgovernor-newsom-builds-on-this-years-historic-housing-reforms-signs-legislation-to-accelerate-housing-and-affordability%2F&linkname=Governor%20Newsom%20builds%20on%20this%20year%E2%80%99s%20historic%20housing%20reforms%2C%20signs%20legislation%20to%20accelerate%20housing%20and%20affordability%20%7C%20Governor%20of%20California)
Oct 10, 2025
News What you need to know: AB 727 ensures LGBTQ students have access to crisis and suicide prevention support by adding resources to public school ID cards. LOS ANGELES – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced he signed AB 727 into law, requiring student ID cards in...
A hiss-torical day: Governor Newsom signs bills establishing state snake, state shrub (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/10/09/a-hiss-torical-day-governor-newsom-signs-bills-establishing-state-snake-state-shrub/)
Oct 9, 2025
News What you need to know: Today, Governor Gavin Newsom signed two bills establishing two new state symbols: the bigberry manzanita as the state shrub and the giant garter snake as the state snake. Los Angeles, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced two...
Governor Newsom takes action to end the puppy mill pipeline, protect cats (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/10/09/governor-newsom-takes-action-to-end-the-puppy-mill-pipeline-protect-cats/)
Oct 9, 2025
News What you need to know: Today, Governor Gavin Newsom signed four bills to protect pets and pet owners, including legislation taking on puppy mills. These laws build on the administration's prior work to improve animal welfare. Los Angeles, California – Governor...
Oct 10, 2025
Governor Newsom builds on this year's historic housing reforms, signs legislation to accelerate housing and affordability
What you need to know: Governor Newsom signed legislation to help boost housing affordability for California families, continuing the momentum of the state's monumental housing progress.
LOS ANGELES – Building on the historic housing legislation signed earlier this year, Governor Gavin Newsom today signed Senate Bill 79 (Wiener) and additional bills to make it easier and faster to build more homes — expanding inventory and access across California. These measures cut red tape and hold local governments accountable, so families don't have to wait years for housing to be approved and built in their communities.
The legislation is intended to meet the needs of Californians across our state – from providing farmworkers with safe and affordable homes, to converting empty office buildings into housing, and creating more housing near public transportation. Together, these efforts are about making sure Californians have more housing choices and access to opportunity.
"All Californians deserve an affordable place to live — close to jobs, schools, and opportunity. Housing near transit means shorter commutes, lower costs, and more time with family. When we invest in housing, we're investing in people — their chance to build a future, raise a family, and be part of a community."
Governor Gavin Newsom
The bills signed today will help California meet its housing goals by:
✅ Accelerating permitting by speeding up the housing permitting and inspection process at every step – making approvals faster, more predictable, and easier to navigate.
✅ Streamlining production by advancing housing reforms that respond to the diverse needs of Californian communities and expand affordable, climate-smart housing so families, workers, and students can live closer to jobs, schools, and opportunity.
✅ Strengthening enforcement by reinforcing and strengthening housing laws with stronger tools to provide real accountability.
✅ Pairing housing with commonsense climate measures by lowering costs for transit-oriented housing and removing barriers to installing EV charging stations in condominium and apartment buildings.
"SB 79 is a historic step toward tackling the root cause of California's affordability crisis — our profound shortage of homes and too few people having access to transit," said Senator Scott Wiener. "In California, we talk a lot about where we don't want to build homes, but rarely about where we do — until now. It's been a long road to tackle these decades-old problems, but thanks to Governor Newsom's leadership, today marks a new day for affordable housing and public transportation in California."
The full list of the signed bills include:
- AB 36 by Assemblymember Esmerelda Soria (D-Merced) – Housing elements: prohousing designation.
- AB 87 by Assemblymember Tasha Boerner (D-Encinitas) – Housing development: density bonuses.
- AB 253 by Assemblymember Christoper Ward (D-San Diego) – California Residential Private Permitting Review Act: residential building permits.
- AB 301 by Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Santa Clarita) – Planning and zoning: housing development projects: postentitlement phase permits: state agencies.
- AB 413 by Assemblymember Mike Fong (D-Alhambra) – Department of Housing and Community Development: guidelines: translation.
- AB 457 by Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria (D-Merced) – Streamlines approvals for larger farmworker housing in the Central Valley.
- AB 462 by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) – Speeds approvals for coastal and disaster-area ADUs.
- AB 480 by Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Fullerton) – Personal Income Tax Law: Corporation Tax Law: insurance tax law: low-income housing tax credit. A signing message can be found here.
- AB 507 by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) – Adaptive reuse: streamlining: incentives.
- AB 610 by Assemblymember David Alvarez (D-San Diego) – Housing element: governmental constraints: disclosure statement.
- AB 678 by Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-Milpitas) – Interagency Council on Homelessness.
- AB 712 by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) – Housing reform laws: enforcement actions: fines and penalties.
- AB 723 by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz) – Real estate: digitally altered images: disclosure.
- AB 754 by Assemblymember Damon Connolly (D-San Rafael) – Floating home marinas: rent caps: County of Marin.
- AB 790 by Anamarie Ávila Farías (D-Martinez) – Homelessness: single women with children.
- AB 893 by Assemblymember Mike Fong (D-Alhambra) – Housing development projects: objective standards: campus development zone.
- AB 920 by Assemblymember Jessica Caloza (D-Los Angeles) – Permit Streamlining Act: housing development projects: centralized application portal.
- AB 1007 by Assemblymember Blanca Rubio (D-West Covina) – Land use: development project review.
- AB 1021 by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) – Housing: local educational agencies.
- AB 1050 by Assemblymember Nick Shultz (D-Burbank) – Unlawfully restrictive covenants: housing developments. A signing message can be found here.
- AB 1061 by Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Fullerton) – Housing developments: urban lot splits: historical resources.
- AB 1414 by Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom (D-Tracy) – Landlord-tenant: internet service provider subscriptions.
- AB 1154 by Assemblymember Juan Carillo (D-Palmdale) – Junior accessory dwelling units.
- AB 1275 by Assemblymember Sade Elhawary (D-South Los Angeles) – Regional housing needs: regional transportation plan.
- AB 1296 by Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) – Local educational agencies: reserve funds.
- AB 1308 by Assemblymember Josh Hoover (R-Folsom) – Residential building permits: inspections: Housing Accountability Act.
- SB 9 by Senator Jesse Arreguín (D-Oakland) – Accessory Dwelling Units: ordinances.
- SB 21 by Senator María Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles) – Single-room occupancy units: demolition and replacement: housing assistance programs: eligibility for homeless individuals and families.
- SB 79 by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) – Housing development: transit-oriented development. A signing message can be found here.
- SB 92 by Senator Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas) – Housing development: density bonuses.
- SB 292 by Senator Aisha Wahab (D-Hayward) – Housing element: prohousing designations: prohousing local policies.
- SB 340 by Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) – General plans: housing element: emergency shelter.
- SB 358 by Senator Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park) – Mitigation Fee Act: mitigating vehicular traffic impacts.
- SB 410 by Senator Tim Grayson (D-Concord) – Common interest developments: association records: exterior elevated elements inspection.
- SB 486 by Senator Chris Cabaldon (D-West Sacramento) – Regional housing: public postsecondary education: changes in enrollment levels: California Environmental Quality Act.
- SB 489 by Senator Jesse Arreguín (D-Oakland) – Local agency formation commissions: written policies and procedures: Permit Streamlining Act: housing development projects.
- SB 507 by Senator Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) – Planning and zoning: regional housing needs allocation.
- SB 543 by Senator Jerry McNerney (D-Stockton) – Accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units.
- SB 643 by Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena) – Local government: homelessness.
- SB 655 by Senator Henry Stern (D–Los Angeles) – Dwelling units: indoor temperature.
- SB 686 by Senator Elosie Gómez Reyes (D-Colton) – Housing programs: financing.
- SB 748 by Senator Laura Richardson (D-South Bay) – Encampment Resolution Funding program: safe parking sites: reporting.
- SB 770 by Senator Benjamin Allen (D-Santa Monica) – Common interest developments: EV charging stations.
- SB 786 by Senator Jesse Arreguín (D-Oakland) – Planning and zoning: general plan: judicial challenges.
- SB 808 by Senator Anna Caballero (D-Merced) – Civil Actions: writs: housing development projects.
California's Housing Model
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Since day one of the Newsom Administration, the Governor — in partnership with California's legislature — has worked tirelessly to confront America's decades-in-the-making housing and homelessness crisis with urgency and innovation. This effort is reversing decades of inaction and building a lasting model for the nation:
✅ Addressing mental health and its impact on homelessness: Ending a long-standing 7,000 behavioral health bed shortfall in California by rapidly expanding community treatment centers and permanent supportive housing units. In 2024, voters approved Governor Newsom's Proposition 1 which is transforming California's mental health systems with a $6.4 billion Behavioral Health Bond for treatment settings and housing with services for veterans and people experiencing homelessness, and reforming the Behavioral Health Services Act to focus on people with the most serious illnesses, provide care to people with substance disorders, and support their housing needs.
✅ Creating new pathways for those who need the most help: Updating conservatorship laws for the first time in 50 years to include people who are unable to provide for their personal safety or necessary medical care, in addition to food, clothing, or shelter, due to either severe substance use disorder or serious mental health illness. Creating a new CARE court system that creates court-ordered plans for up to 24 months for people struggling with untreated mental illness, and often substance use challenges.
✅ Streamlining and prioritizing building of new housing: Governor Newsom made creating more housing a state priority for the first time in history. He has signed into law groundbreaking reforms to break down systemic barriers that have stood in the way of building the housing Californians need, including broad CEQA reforms.
✅ Creating shelter and support: Providing funding and programs for local governments, coupled with strong accountability measures to ensure that each local government is doing its share to build housing, and create shelter and support, so that people rescued from encampments have a safe place to go.
✅ Removing dangerous encampments: Governor Newsom has set a strong expectation for all local governments to address encampments in their communities and help connect people with support. In 2024, Governor Newsom filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court defending communities' authority to clear encampments. After the Supreme Court affirmed that authority, Governor Newsom issued an executive order directing state entities and urging local governments to clear encampments and connect people with support, using a state-tested model that helps ensure encampments are addressed humanely and people are given adequate notice and support.
Reversing a decades-in-the-making crisis
Between 2014 and 2019 — before Governor Newsom took office — unsheltered homelessness in California rose by approximately 37,000 people. Since then, under this Administration, California has significantly slowed that growth, even as many other states have seen worsening trends.
In 2024, while homelessness increased nationally by over 18%, California limited its overall increase to just 3% — a lower rate than in 40 other states. The state also held the growth of unsheltered homelessness to just 0.45%, compared to a national increase of nearly 7%. States like Florida, Texas, New York, and Illinois saw larger increases both in percentage and absolute numbers. California also achieved the nation's largest reduction in veteran homelessness and made meaningful progress in reducing youth homelessness.
More on The Californer
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This year, California's largest communities are reporting substantial decreases in homelessness – indicating that California's comprehensive and strategic approach to reversing this national crisis and getting people out of encampments is working.
Housing and homelessness, Press releases, Recent news (https://www.gov.ca.gov/category/recent-news/)
Recent news
Marking World Mental Health Day, Governor Newsom signs AB 727 to make mental health resources more accessible to LGBTQ youth (https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.ca.gov%2F2025%2F10%2F10%2Fgovernor-newsom-builds-on-this-years-historic-housing-reforms-signs-legislation-to-accelerate-housing-and-affordability%2F&linkname=Governor%20Newsom%20builds%20on%20this%20year%E2%80%99s%20historic%20housing%20reforms%2C%20signs%20legislation%20to%20accelerate%20housing%20and%20affordability%20%7C%20Governor%20of%20California)
Oct 10, 2025
News What you need to know: AB 727 ensures LGBTQ students have access to crisis and suicide prevention support by adding resources to public school ID cards. LOS ANGELES – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced he signed AB 727 into law, requiring student ID cards in...
A hiss-torical day: Governor Newsom signs bills establishing state snake, state shrub (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/10/09/a-hiss-torical-day-governor-newsom-signs-bills-establishing-state-snake-state-shrub/)
Oct 9, 2025
News What you need to know: Today, Governor Gavin Newsom signed two bills establishing two new state symbols: the bigberry manzanita as the state shrub and the giant garter snake as the state snake. Los Angeles, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced two...
Governor Newsom takes action to end the puppy mill pipeline, protect cats (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/10/09/governor-newsom-takes-action-to-end-the-puppy-mill-pipeline-protect-cats/)
Oct 9, 2025
News What you need to know: Today, Governor Gavin Newsom signed four bills to protect pets and pet owners, including legislation taking on puppy mills. These laws build on the administration's prior work to improve animal welfare. Los Angeles, California – Governor...
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