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AB-648 • 2026

Community colleges: housing: local zoning regulations: exemption.

Community colleges: housing: local zoning regulations: exemption.

Education Housing Land
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Zbur
Last action
2025-10-06
Official status
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 378, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact requirements for exemption from zoning laws are not detailed in the provided official source material.

Community Colleges: Housing Exemption from Local Zoning

This law allows community college districts in California to build housing for students and staff without following local zoning rules, as long as certain conditions are met.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows community college districts to not follow city or county zoning laws when building housing on their property if specific requirements are met.
  • Requires that some units of the project be available at affordable rents for low-income faculty and staff.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Community college districts in California
  • Local governments with zoning laws

Terms To Know

Zoning ordinances
Rules set by local government that control how land can be used, like where houses or businesses can be built.
Community college district
An area in California where a community college operates and provides education services.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the exact requirements that must be met for exemption from zoning laws.
  • It is unclear how local governments will respond to this change in their ability to enforce zoning rules.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-06 California Legislative Information

    Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 378, Statutes of 2025.

  2. 2025-10-06 California Legislative Information

    Approved by the Governor.

  3. 2025-09-22 California Legislative Information

    Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.

  4. 2025-09-10 California Legislative Information

    Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 61. Noes 8. Page 3179.).

  5. 2025-09-08 California Legislative Information

    In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

  6. 2025-09-08 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 31. Noes 5. Page 2592.).

  7. 2025-09-03 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  8. 2025-09-02 California Legislative Information

    Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

  9. 2025-07-17 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Ordered to third reading.

  10. 2025-07-16 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (July 16).

  11. 2025-06-18 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (June 18). Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.

  12. 2025-06-04 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on ED. and L. GOV.

  13. 2025-05-28 California Legislative Information

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

  14. 2025-05-27 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 63. Noes 5. Page 1726.)

  15. 2025-05-06 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  16. 2025-05-05 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

  17. 2025-05-01 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 30).

  18. 2025-03-19 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. (Ayes 7. Noes 3.) (March 18). Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.

  19. 2025-03-03 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on HIGHER ED. and L. GOV.

  20. 2025-02-14 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 16.

  21. 2025-02-13 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 648, Zbur.
Community colleges: housing: local zoning regulations: exemption.
Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the segments of postsecondary education in this state. Existing law establishes community college districts throughout the state and authorizes them to operate campuses and provide instruction to students.
This bill would provide that a community college district is not required to comply with the zoning ordinances of a city, county, or city and county, for a university housing development project constructed on property owned or leased by a community college district if specific requirements are met. If the project includes units for faculty and staff, the bill would require the community college district to ensure that a portion of the units of the project are made available at
affordable rents to extremely low income faculty and staff and lower income faculty and staff.
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.

Current Bill Text

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