AB-87 • 2026

Housing development: density bonuses.

Housing

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Boerner
Last action: 2025-10-10
Official status: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 486, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact number of housing developments affected remains uncertain due to lack of data on projects including short-term rental units.

Housing Development: Density Bonuses

AB-87 modifies the Density Bonus Law to exclude short-term rental units from receiving density bonuses and other incentives unless specific exceptions apply.

What This Bill Does

Modifies the Density Bonus Law so that cities, counties, or city and county governments do not have to provide extra benefits or relax rules for developers who want to build transient lodging as part of a housing development, except under specified conditions.

Who It Names or Affects

Developers seeking density bonuses for projects including short-term rental units
Local government entities responsible for approving housing developments

Terms To Know

Density Bonus Law: A law that allows cities or counties to give developers extra benefits, like building more units than allowed by normal rules, if the developer agrees to build certain types of affordable housing.
Transient lodging: Short-term rental accommodations such as hotels or vacation rentals.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify an exact effective date and depends on the passage of another bill (SB 92) in a specific order.
It is unclear how many housing developments will be affected by this change since the number of projects including short-term rental units is unknown.

Bill History

2025-10-10 California Legislative Information
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 486, Statutes of 2025.
2025-10-10 California Legislative Information
Approved by the Governor.
2025-09-09 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
2025-09-03 California Legislative Information
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 2855.).
2025-09-02 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2025-09-02 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2398.).
2025-08-28 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-27 California Legislative Information
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
2025-07-10 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Ordered to third reading.
2025-07-09 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 9).
2025-06-25 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. (Ayes 10. Noes 1.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
2025-05-21 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on HOUSING and L. GOV.
2025-05-13 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-05-12 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 75. Noes 0. Page 1513.)
2025-05-05 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-01 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 30).
2025-04-28 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
2025-04-24 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. Read second time and amended.
2025-04-24 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 24). Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
2025-04-24 California Legislative Information
(Pending re-refer to Com. on L. GOV.)
2025-04-24 California Legislative Information
Assembly Rule 56 suspended. (Page 1265.)
2025-03-18 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on H. & C.D.
2025-03-17 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.
2025-03-17 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on H. & C.D. and L. GOV.
2025-01-07 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee February 6.
2025-01-06 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 87, Boerner.
Housing development: density bonuses.
Existing law, commonly referred to as the Density Bonus Law, requires a city or county to provide a developer that proposes a housing development, as defined, within the city or county with a density bonus, other incentives or concessions, and waivers or reductions of development standards, as specified, if the developer agrees to construct, among other options, specified units and meets other requirements.
This bill would specify that certain provisions of the Density Bonus Law do not require a city, county, or city and county to approve, grant a concession or incentive requiring approval of, or waive or reduce development standards otherwise applicable to, transient lodging as part of a housing development, except as specified.
This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section
65915 of the Government Code proposed by SB 92 to be operative only if this bill and SB 92 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

Current Bill Text

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