Plain English Breakdown
The official text contains conflicting dates (December vs January) for the study start; the summary uses January as indicated in the final version context.
Review of Building Rules for Small Apartment Buildings
This law requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to study whether small apartment buildings with 3 to 10 units can be built using residential building codes.
What This Bill Does
- Requires a working group or study to start by January 31, 2027.
- Asks the department to hire outside experts to help with this research.
- Looks at rules that would let buildings with 3 to 10 units follow residential codes instead of stricter ones.
- Requires a report on construction cost pressures for homes and apartments by December 31, 2027.
- Mandates the department to repeat this review every three years when standards are updated.
Who It Names or Affects
- The Department of Housing and Community Development
- Builders who construct residential developments with between 3 and 10 units
Terms To Know
- California Residential Code
- A set of building rules usually used for single-family homes.
- International Residential Code
- The standard national code that California currently uses as a base for its own rules.
Limits and Unknowns
- This bill only requires a study and report; it does not automatically change the building laws.
- Any new standards must still be approved by the California Building Standards Commission before they take effect.