§ 65913.16. — 65913.16. (Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 774, Sec. 3.)

California § 65913.16.

• Jurisdiction: California
• Code GOV: Government Code - GOV
• Div.: 1.
• Title 7.: DIVISION 1. PLANNING AND ZONING
• Ch. 4.2.: CHAPTER 4.2. Housing Development Approvals

Text

(a)
This section shall be known, and may be cited, as the Affordable Housing on Faith and Higher Education Lands Act of 2023.
(b)
For purposes of this section:
(1)
“Applicant” means a qualified developer who submits an application for streamlined approval pursuant to this section.
(2)
“Development proponent” means a developer that submits a housing development project application to a local government under the streamlined, ministerial review process pursuant to this chapter.
(3)
“Health care expenditures” include contributions pursuant to Section 501(c) or (d) or
401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code and payments toward “medical care” as defined in Section 213(d)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(4)
“Heavy industrial use” means a use that is a source, other than a Title V source, as defined by Section 39053.5 of the Health and Safety Code, that is subject to permitting by a district, as defined in Section 39025 of the Health and Safety Code, pursuant to Division 26 (commencing with Section 39000) of the Health and Safety Code or the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7401 et seq.). A use where the only source permitted by a district is an emergency backup generator, and the source is in compliance with permitted emissions and operating limits, is not a heavy industrial use.
(5)
“Housing development project” has the same meaning as defined in Section 65589.5.
(6)
“Independent
institution of higher education” has the same meaning as defined in Section 66010 of the Education Code.
(7)
“Light industrial use” means an industrial use that is not subject to permitting by a district, as defined in Section 39025 of the Health and Safety Code.
(8)
“Local government” means a city, including a charter city, county, including a charter county, or city and county, including a charter city and county.
(9)
“Qualified developer” means any of the following:
(A)
A local public entity, as defined in Section 50079 of the Health and Safety Code.
(B)
(i)
A developer that is a nonprofit corporation, a limited partnership in which a managing general partner is a
nonprofit corporation, or a limited liability company in which a managing member is a nonprofit corporation.
(ii)
The developer, at the time of submission of an application for development pursuant to this section, owns property or manages housing units located on property that is exempt from taxation pursuant to the welfare exemption established in subdivision (a) of Section 214 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(C)
A developer that contracts with a nonprofit corporation that has received a welfare exemption under Section 214.15 of the Revenue and Taxation Code for properties intended to be sold to low-income families with financing in the form of zero interest rate loans.
(D)
A developer that the religious institution or independent institution of education, as defined in this section, has contracted with before to
construct housing or other improvements to real property.
(10)
“Religious institution” means an institution owned, controlled, and operated and maintained by a bona fide church, religious denomination, or religious organization composed of multidenominational members of the same well-recognized religion, lawfully operating as a nonprofit religious corporation pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 9110), or as a corporation sole pursuant to Part 6 (commencing with Section 10000), of Division 2 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code.
(11)
“Title V industrial use” means a use that is a Title V source, as defined in Section 39053.5 of the Health and Safety Code.
(12)
“Use by right” means a development project that satisfies both of the following conditions:
(A)
The development project does not require a conditional use permit, planned unit development permit, or other discretionary local government review.
(B)
The development project is not a “project” for purposes of Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code.
(c)
Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of a local government’s general plan, specific plan, zoning ordinance, or regulation, upon the request of an applicant, a housing development project shall be a use by right, if all of the following criteria are satisfied:
(1)
The development is located on land owned on or before January 1, 2024, by an independent institution of higher education or a religious institution, including ownership through an affiliated or associated nonprofit public benefit corporation organized
pursuant to the Nonprofit Corporation Law (Part 2 (commencing with Section 5110) of Division 2 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code).
(2)
The development is located on a parcel that satisfies the requirements specified in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 65913.4.
(3)
The development is located on a parcel that satisfies the requirements specified in subparagraphs (B) to (K), inclusive, of paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) of Section 65913.4.
(4)
The development is located on a parcel that satisfies the requirements specified in paragraph (7) of subdivision (a) of Section 65913.4.
(5)
(A)
The development is not adjoined to any site where more than one-third of the square footage on the site is
dedicated to light industrial use. For purposes of this subdivision, parcels separated by only a street or highway shall be considered to be adjoined.
(B)
For purposes of subparagraph (A), a property is “dedicated to light industrial use” if all of the following requirements are met:
(i)
The square footage is currently being put to a light industrial use.
(ii)
The most recently permitted use of the square footage is a light industrial use.
(iii)
The latest version of the local government’s general plan, adopted before January 1, 2022, designates the property for light industrial use.
(6)
The housing units on the development site are not located within 1,200 feet of a site that is either of
the following:
(A)
A site that is currently a heavy industrial use.
(B)
A site where the most recent permitted use was a heavy industrial use.
(7)
Except as provided in paragraph (8), the housing units on the development site are not located within 1,600 feet of a site that is either of the following:
(A)
A site that is currently a Title V industrial use.
(B)
A site where the most recent permitted use was a Title V industrial use.
(8)
For a site where multifamily housing is not an existing permitted use, the housing units on the development site are not located within 3,200 feet of a facility that actively extracts or refines
oil or natural gas.
(9)
One hundred percent of the development project’s total units, exclusive of a manager’s unit or units, are for lower income households, as defined by Section 50079.5 of the Health and Safety Code, except that up to 20 percent of the total units in the development may be for moderate-income households, as defined in Section 50053 of the Health and Safety Code, and 5 percent of the units may be for staff of the independent institution of higher education or religious institution that owns the land. Units in the development shall be offered at affordable housing cost, as defined in Section 50052.5 of the Health and Safety Code, or at affordable rent, as set in an amount consistent with the rent limits established by the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee. The rent or sales price for a moderate-income unit shall be affordable and shall not exceed 30 percent of income for a moderate-income household or homebuyer for a
unit of similar size and bedroom count in the same ZIP Code in the city, county, or city and county in which the housing development is located. The applicant shall provide the city, county, or city and county with evidence to establish that the units meet the requirements of this paragraph. All units, exclusive of any manager unit or units, shall be subject to a recorded deed restriction as provided in this paragraph for at least the following periods of time:
(A)
Fifty-five years for units that are rented unless a local ordinance or the terms of a federal, state, or local grant, tax credit, or other project financing requires, as a condition of the development of residential units, that the development include a certain percentage of units that are affordable to, and occupied by, low-income, lower income, very low income, or extremely low income households for a term that exceeds 55 years for rental housing units.
(B)
Forty-five years for units that are owner-occupied or the first purchaser of each unit participates in an equity sharing agreement as described in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 65915.
(10)
The development project complies with all objective development standards of the city or county that are not in conflict with this section.
(11)
If the housing development project requires the demolition of existing residential dwelling units, or is located on a site where residential dwelling units have been demolished within the last five years, the applicant shall comply with subdivision (d) of Section 66300.
(12)
The applicant certifies to the local government that either of the following is true for the housing development
project, as applicable:
(A)
The entirety of the development project is a public work for purposes of Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1720) of Part 7 of Division 2 of the Labor Code.
(B)
A development that contains more than 10 units and is not in its entirety a public work for purposes of Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1720) of Part 7 of Division 2 of the Labor Code and approved by a local government pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 65912.110) of, or Article 3 (commencing with Section 65912.120) of, Chapter 4.1 shall be subject to all of the following:
(i)
All construction workers employed in the execution of the development shall be paid at least the general prevailing rate of per diem wages for the type of work and geographic area, as determined by the Director of Industrial Relations pursuant
to Sections 1773 and 1773.9 of the Labor Code, except that apprentices registered in programs provided by the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards may be paid at least the applicable apprentice prevailing rate.
(ii)
The development proponent shall ensure that the prevailing wage requirement is included in all contracts for the performance of the work, and shall also provide notice of all contracts for the performance of the work to the Department of Industrial Relations, in accordance with Section 1773.35 of the Labor Code, for those portions of the development that are not a public work.
(iii)
All contractors and subcontractors for those portions of the development that are not a public work shall comply with all of the following:
(I)
Pay to all construction workers employed in the execution of the work
at least the general prevailing rate of per diem wages, except that apprentices registered in the programs approved by the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards may be paid at least the applicable apprentice prevailing rate.
(II)
Maintain and verify payroll records pursuant to Section 1776 of the Labor Code and make those records available for inspection and copying as provided in that section. This subclause does not apply if all contractors and subcontractors performing work on the development are subject to a project labor agreement that requires the payment of prevailing wages to all construction workers employed in the execution of the development and provides for enforcement of that obligation through an arbitration procedure. For purposes of this subclause, “project labor agreement” has the same meaning as set forth in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 2500 of the Public Contract Code.
(III)
Be registered in accordance with Section 1725.6 of the Labor Code.
(13)
(A)
The development proponent completes a Phase I environmental assessment, as defined in Section 78090 of the Health and Safety Code, and a Phase II environmental assessment, as defined in subdivision (o) of Section 25403 of the Health and Safety Code, if warranted.
(B)
If a recognized environmental condition is found, the development proponent shall undertake a preliminary endangerment assessment, as defined in Section 78095 of the Health and Safety Code, prepared by an environmental assessor to determine the existence of any release of a hazardous substance on the site and to determine the potential for exposure of future occupants to significant health hazards from any nearby property or activity.
(i)
If a release of hazardous substance is found to exist on the site, the release shall be removed, or any significant effect of the release shall be mitigated to a level of insignificance in compliance with state and federal requirements.
(ii)
If a potential for exposure to significant hazards from surrounding properties or activities is found to exist, the effects of the potential exposure shall be mitigated to a level of insignificance in compliance with current state and federal requirements.
(14)
If the development is within 500 feet of a freeway, regularly occupied areas of the building shall provide air filtration media for outside and return air that provide a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13.
(15)
For a vacant site, the site does
not contain tribal cultural resources, as defined in Section 21074 of the Public Resources Code, that could be affected by the development that were found pursuant to a consultation as described in Section 21080.3.1 of the Public Resources Code, and the effects of which cannot be mitigated pursuant to the process described in Section 21080.3.2 of the Public Resources Code.
(d)
(1)
The obligation of the contractors and subcontractors to pay prevailing wages pursuant to this section may be enforced by any of the following:
(A)
The Labor Commissioner, through the issuance of a civil wage and penalty assessment pursuant to Section 1741 of the Labor Code, that may be reviewed pursuant to Section 1742 of the Labor Code, within 18 months after the completion of the development.
(B)
An underpaid worker
through an administrative complaint or civil action.
(C)
A joint labor-management committee through a civil action pursuant to Section 1771.2 of the Labor Code.
(2)
If a civil wage and penalty assessment is issued pursuant to this section, the contractor, subcontractor, and surety on a bond or bonds issued to secure the payment of wages covered by the assessment shall be liable for liquidated damages pursuant to Section 1742.1 of the Labor Code.
(3)
This subdivision does not apply if all contractors and subcontractors performing work on the development are subject to a project labor agreement that requires the payment of prevailing wages to all construction workers employed in the execution of the development and provides for enforcement of that obligation through an arbitration procedure. For purposes of this
subdivision, “project labor agreement” has the same meaning as set forth in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 2500 of the Public Contract Code.
(e)
Notwithstanding subdivision (c) of Section 1773.1 of the Labor Code, the requirement that employer payments not reduce the obligation to pay the hourly straight time or overtime wages found to be prevailing does not apply to those portions of a development that are not a public work if otherwise provided in a bona fide collective bargaining agreement covering the worker.
(f)
The requirement of this section to pay at least the general prevailing rate of per diem wages does not preclude use of an alternative workweek schedule adopted pursuant to Section 511 or 514 of the Labor Code.
(g)
In addition to the requirements of paragraph (12) of subdivision (c), and the
requirements of subdivisions (d), (e), and (f), a development of 50 or more housing units approved by a local government pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 65912.110) of, or Article 3 (commencing with Section 65912.120) of, Chapter 4.1 shall meet all of the following labor standards:
(1)
The development proponent shall require in contracts with construction contractors and shall certify to the local government that each contractor of any tier who will employ construction craft employees or will let subcontracts for at least 1,000 hours shall satisfy the requirements in paragraphs (2) and (3). A construction contractor is deemed in compliance with paragraphs (2) and (3) if it is signatory to a valid collective bargaining agreement that requires use of registered apprentices and expenditures on health care for employees and dependents.
(2)
A contractor with construction
craft employees shall either participate in an apprenticeship program approved by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards pursuant to Section 3075 of the Labor Code, or request the dispatch of apprentices from a state-approved apprenticeship program under the terms and conditions set forth in Section 1777.5 of the Labor Code. A contractor without construction craft employees shall show a contractual obligation that its subcontractors comply with this subdivision.
(3)
Each contractor with construction craft employees shall make health care expenditures for each employee in an amount per hour worked on the development equivalent to at least the hourly pro rata cost of a Covered California Platinum-level plan for two adults 40 years of age and two dependents 0 to 14 years of age for the Covered California rating area in which the development is located. A contractor without construction craft employees shall show a contractual obligation that its
subcontractors comply with this paragraph. Qualifying expenditures shall be credited toward compliance with prevailing wage payment requirements set forth in Section 65912.130.
(4)
(A)
The development proponent shall provide to the local government, on a monthly basis while its construction contracts on the development are being performed, a report demonstrating compliance with paragraphs (2) and (3). The report shall be considered public records under the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1), and shall be open to public inspection.
(B)
A development proponent that fails to provide the monthly report shall be subject to a civil penalty for each month for which the report has not been provided, in the amount of 10 percent of the dollar value of construction work performed by that contractor on the
development in the month in question, up to a maximum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000). Any contractor or subcontractor that fails to comply with paragraph (2) or (3) shall be subject to a civil penalty of two hundred dollars ($200) per day for each worker employed in contravention of paragraph (2) or (3).
(C)
Penalties may be assessed by the Labor Commissioner within 18 months of completion of the development using the procedures for issuance of civil wage and penalty assessments specified in Section 1741 of the Labor Code, and may be reviewed pursuant to Section 1742 of the Labor Code. Penalties shall be deposited in the State Public Works Enforcement Fund established pursuant to Section 1771.3 of the Labor Code.
(5)
Each construction contractor shall maintain and verify payroll records pursuant to Section 1776 of the Labor Code. Each construction contractor shall submit
payroll records directly to the Labor Commissioner at least monthly in a format prescribed by the Labor Commissioner in accordance with subparagraph (A) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 1771.4 of the Labor Code. The records shall include a statement of fringe benefits. Upon request by a joint labor-management cooperation committee established pursuant to the federal Labor Management Cooperation Act of 1978 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 175a), the records shall be provided pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 1776 of the Labor Code.
(6)
All construction contractors shall report any change in apprenticeship program participation or health care expenditures to the local government within 10 business days, and shall reflect those changes on the monthly report. The reports shall be considered public records pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000 of Title 1)) and shall be open to public
inspection.
(7)
A joint labor-management cooperation committee established pursuant to the federal Labor Management Cooperation Act of 1978 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 175a) shall have standing to sue a construction contractor for failure to make health care expenditures pursuant to paragraph (3) in accordance with Section 218.7, 218.8, or 218.9 of the Labor Code.
(h)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a development project that is eligible for approval as a use by right pursuant to this section may include the following ancillary uses, provided that those uses are limited to the ground floor of the development:
(1)
In a single-family residential zone, ancillary uses shall be limited to childcare centers, without limitation on the number of children, and facilities operated by community-based organizations for the provision of recreational, social, or educational services for use by the residents of the development and members of the local community in which the development is located.
(2)
In all other zones, the development may include the childcare centers and facilities described in paragraph (1), as well as any other commercial uses that are permitted without a conditional use permit or planned unit development permit.
(i)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a development project that is eligible for approval as a use by right pursuant to this section includes any religious institutional use, or any use that was previously existing and legally permitted
by the city or county on the site, if all of the following criteria are met:
(1)
The total square footage of nonresidential space on the site does not exceed the amount previously existing or permitted in a conditional use permit.
(2)
The new uses abide by the same operational conditions as contained in the previous conditional use permit.
(j)
A housing development project that qualifies as a use by right pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be allowed the following density, as applicable:
(1)
(A)
If the development project is located in a zone that allows residential uses, including in single-family residential zones, the development project shall be allowed a density of the applicable density deemed appropriate to accommodate
housing for lower income households identified in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) of Section 65583.2 and a height of one story or 11 feet above the maximum height otherwise applicable to the parcel.
(B)
If the local government allows for greater residential density on that parcel, or greater residential density or building heights on an adjoining parcel, than permitted in subparagraph (A), the greater density or building height shall apply, including a height of one story or 11 feet above the maximum height otherwise applicable to the parcel.
(C)
A housing development project that is located in a zone that allows residential uses, including in single-family residential zones, shall be eligible for a density bonus, incentives, or concessions, or waivers or reductions of development standards and parking ratios, pursuant to Section 65915.
(2)
(A)
If the development project is located in a zone that does not allow residential uses, the development project shall be allowed a density of 40 units per acre and a height of one story or 11 feet above the maximum height otherwise applicable to the parcel.
(B)
If the local government allows for greater residential density or building heights on that parcel, or an adjoining parcel, than permitted in subparagraph (A), the greater density or building height shall apply, including a height of one story or 11 feet above the maximum height otherwise applicable to the parcel. A development project shall not use an incentive, waiver, or concession to increase the height of the development to greater than the height authorized under this subparagraph.
(C)
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), a
housing development project that is located in a zone that does not allow residential uses shall be eligible for a density bonus, incentives, or concessions, or waivers or reductions of development standards and parking ratios, pursuant to Section 65915.
(k)
(1)
Except as provided in paragraph (2), the proposed development, including any religious institutional use or any use that was previously existing and legally permitted by the city or county on the site pursuant to subdivision (j), shall provide off-street parking of up to one space per unit, unless a state law or local ordinance provides for a lower standard of parking, in which case the law or ordinance shall apply.
(2)
A local government shall not impose a parking requirement if either of the following is true:
(A)
The parcel is located
within one-half mile walking distance of public transit, either a high-quality transit corridor or a major transit stop as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 21155 of the Public Resources Code.
(B)
There is a car share vehicle located within one block of the parcel.
(
l
)
(1)
If the local government determines that the proposed development is in conflict with any of the objective planning standards specified in this section, it shall provide the development proponent written documentation of which standard or standards the development conflicts with, and an explanation for the reason or reasons the development conflicts with that standard or standards, within the following timeframes:
(A)
Within 60 days of submittal of the development proposal to the local government if the development
contains 150 or fewer housing units.
(B)
Within 90 days of submittal of the development proposal to the local government if the development contains more than 150 housing units.
(2)
If the local government fails to provide the required documentation pursuant to paragraph (1), the development shall be deemed to satisfy the required objective planning standards.
(3)
For purposes of this section, a development is consistent with the objective planning standards if there is substantial evidence that would allow a reasonable person to conclude that the development is consistent with the objective planning standards.
(4)
The determination of whether a proposed project submitted pursuant to this section is or is not in conflict with the objective planning
standards is not a “project” as defined in Section 21065 of the Public Resources Code.
(5)
Design review of the development may be conducted by the local government’s planning commission or any equivalent board or commission responsible for review and approval of development projects, or the city council or board of supervisors, as appropriate. That design review shall be objective and be strictly focused on assessing compliance with criteria required for streamlined, ministerial review of projects, as well as any reasonable objective design standards published and adopted by ordinance or resolution by a local jurisdiction before submittal of the development to the local government, and shall be broadly applicable to developments within the jurisdiction. That design review shall be completed as follows and shall not in any way inhibit, chill, or preclude the ministerial approval provided by this section or its effect, as applicable:
(A)
Within 90 days of submittal of the development proposal to the local government pursuant to this section if the development contains 150 or fewer housing units.
(B)
Within 180 days of submittal of the development proposal to the local government pursuant to this section if the development contains more than 150 housing units.
(6)
The local government shall ensure that the project satisfies the requirements specified in subdivision (d) of Section 66300, regardless of whether the development is within or not within an affected city or within or not within an affected county.
(7)
If the development is consistent with all objective subdivision standards in the local subdivision ordinance, an application for a subdivision pursuant to the Subdivision Map Act
(Division 2 (commencing with Section 66410)) shall be exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code).
(8)
A local government’s approval of a development pursuant to this section shall, notwithstanding any other law, be subject to the expiration timeframes specified in subdivision (f) of Section 65913.4.
(9)
Any proposed modifications to a development project approved pursuant to this section shall be undertaken pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 65913.4.
(10)
A local government shall not adopt or impose any requirement, including, but not limited to, increased fees or inclusionary housing requirements, that applies to a project solely or partially on the basis that the project is eligible to receive streamlined,
ministerial review pursuant to this section.
(11)
A local government shall issue a subsequent permit required for a development approved under this section pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (h) of Section 65913.4.
(12)
A public improvement that is necessary to implement a development that is approved pursuant to this section shall be undertaken pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (h) of Section 65913.4.
(m)
This section shall not prevent a development from also qualifying as a housing development project entitled to the protections of Section 65589.5.
(n)
The Legislature finds and declares that ensuring residential development at greater density on land owned by independent institutions of higher education and religious institutions is a
matter of statewide concern and is not a municipal affair as that term is used in Section 5 of Article XI of the California Constitution. Therefore, this section applies to all cities, including charter cities.
(o)
The provisions of paragraph (3) of subdivision (g) concerning health care expenditures are distinct and severable from the remaining provisions of this section. However, all other provisions of subdivision (g) are material and integral parts of this section and are not severable. If any provision of subdivision (g), exclusive of those included in paragraph (3), is held invalid, the entire section shall be invalid and shall not be given effect.
(p)
This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2036, and as of that date is repealed.

Legislative History

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 774, Sec. 3. (SB 597) Effective January 1, 2026. Repealed as of January 1, 2036, by its own provisions.