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AB-2390 • 2026

Streamlined housing approvals: objective standards: review and modifications.

Streamlined housing approvals: objective standards: review and modifications.

Education Housing Land
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Schiavo
Last action
2026-04-23
Official status
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the extent of the bill's impact or any limitations beyond those explicitly stated in the summary and digest text.

Streamlined Housing Approvals: Objective Standards

AB-2390 changes how local governments review and approve housing developments, focusing on specific standards and limiting the areas they need to consider.

What This Bill Does

  • Limits a local government's review of a site for new multifamily housing developments to only the area physically disturbed by construction in the application for streamlined, ministerial review.
  • Requires local governments to approve modifications to approved developments if these changes meet zoning, subdivision, and design standards that were in place when the original application was submitted.
  • Extends the validity period of development approvals beyond initial requests for modifications and any legal challenges.
  • Makes nonsubstantive changes to improve clarity or consistency.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Local governments responsible for reviewing housing development applications.
  • Developers proposing multifamily housing developments.
  • Residents and businesses in areas where new housing developments are proposed.

Terms To Know

Ministerial approval process
A straightforward, automatic review process for certain types of development applications that does not require discretionary decisions by local officials.
Objective planning standards
Clear criteria used to evaluate whether a proposed development meets specific requirements without subjective judgment.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill's provisions are effective until January 1, 2036.
  • Local governments may need additional resources or training to implement the new review and modification processes effectively.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-23 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  2. 2026-04-22 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended.

  3. 2026-04-21 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (April 20).

  4. 2026-04-08 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

  5. 2026-03-17 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on H. & C.D.

  6. 2026-03-16 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on H. & C.D. Read second time and amended.

  7. 2026-03-16 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on H. & C.D. and NAT. RES.

  8. 2026-02-21 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

  9. 2026-02-20 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2390, as amended, Schiavo.
Streamlined housing approvals: objective standards: review and modifications.
(1)
The
The
Planning and Zoning Law, until January 1, 2036, authorizes a development proponent to submit an application for a multifamily housing development that is subject to a streamlined, ministerial approval process, as provided, and not subject to a conditional use permit, if the development satisfies specified objective planning standards (streamlining
process). Under existing law, one of those objective planning standards requires the development to not be located on a site meeting any of certain criteria, such as a site that is within a very high fire hazard severity zone, as described (location criteria).
This bill would provide that, in determining whether a site meets any of the location criteria, a local government’s review of the site is limited to the area described as being physically disturbed by construction in the application for streamlined, ministerial review and does not include, unless expressly stated otherwise, other contiguous or noncontiguous areas even if under the ownership or control of the development proponent.
(2)
Under existing
process). Existing
law, for purposes of
the above-described
this
streamlining process,
authorizes
a development proponent
may
to
request a modification to an approved development if
submitted to the local government before the issuance of the final building permit required for construction of the development. Existing law requires a local government to approve a modification if it determines the modification is consistent with the objective planning standards in effect when the original development application was first submitted. Existing law requires evaluations of modifications for consistency with the objective planning standards to be made using the same assumptions and analytical methodology the local government originally used, as described.
This bill would instead require the local government to approve a modification if it determines the modification is consistent with objective zoning standards, objective subdivision standards, and objective design review standards that were in effect when the original development application was first submitted, as described. The bill would also require subsequent modifications to be evaluated for
consistency using the same assumptions and analytical methodology the local government originally used, or that was used in a previous modification, as described. The bill would make conforming changes.
(3)
Existing
Existing
law provides that if a development proponent requests a modification, as described above, the time during which approval of the development remains valid is extended for the number of days between the submittal of a modification request and the date of its final approval, plus an additional 180 days to allow time to obtain a building permit. Existing law
also further extends that time during the pendency of litigation, if any.
This bill would provide that the litigation extension is not limited to the first request for a modification submitted by the development proponent.
(4)
This
This
bill would also make nonsubstantive changes.
(5)
The
The
bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.
(6)
By
By
imposing additional duties on local officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires
the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Current Bill Text

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