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AB-2480 • 2026

Housing development: density bonus: student housing developments.

Housing development: density bonus: student housing developments.

Education Housing
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Ávila Farías
Last action
Official status
Senate - Third Reading
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The source states rent is currently calculated at 30% of 65% of area median income, but does not provide the new calculation method.

Changes to Density Bonuses for Student Housing

AB-2480 updates the rent rules and adds new bonus incentives that cities must give developers who build housing specifically for college students.

What This Bill Does

  • Revises how rent is calculated for lower-income student units to qualify for density bonuses under existing law.
  • Requires cities or counties to offer an extra density bonus if a project sets aside 24% of units for lower-income students and includes additional rental units affordable to moderate-income students.
  • Limits total restricted units so that no more than 50% of the building is reserved for low or moderate-income students.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Cities and counties that approve new housing projects.
  • Developers who propose building student housing developments.
  • Undergraduate, graduate, or professional students enrolled full time at colleges or universities seeking affordable rental units.

Terms To Know

Density bonus
A reward that allows a developer to build more housing units than local rules usually permit.
Area median income
The middle point of household incomes in a specific geographic area, used to set rent limits for affordable units.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the exact new rent calculation formula, only that it revises and recasts current requirements.
  • The effective date of this law is not listed in the provided source material.
  • The specific reason why no state reimbursement is required for local governments is stated as 'a specified reason' without further detail.

Bill History

  1. California Legislative Information

    Senate - Third Reading

Official Summary Text

Housing development: density bonus: student housing developments.