California Easing CEQA Restrictions To Spur More Homeless Shelters
Sacramento, CA — California Governor Gavin Newsom signed 13 bills yesterday designed to fast-track the development of more homeless shelters and supportive housing.
It includes allowing larger cities to bypass some of the California Environmental Quality Act rules in order to build more shelters. In addition, there will be (California Environmental Quality Act) CEQA exemptions for any hotel being turned into housing for low-income residents.
Also, homeless facilities being constructed with $2-billion in state bond money will be exempt from many of the environmental rules.
Caltrans will also be allowed to lease their property to local governments to be used as emergency shelters at a cost of $1 per month, and vacant California armories will be able to be used as emergency weather shelters.
This week the Trump Administration criticized California’s recent handling of homelessness and blamed it for an increase in water pollution.
