California Tackles Housing Costs with Building Code Freeze, Permitting Reforms

California's new $321 billion budget includes a six-year pause on adopting or amending residential building codes, aiming to ease the housing affordability crisis and speed rebuilding after recent fires. The law also allows builders to use approved codes for up to 10 years for developments and exempts certain in-fill housing projects from CEQA review to streamline permitting. These measures reflect a significant shift in addressing housing challenges.