Recently, California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law AB 130 and SB 131 — two bills that significantly roll back the procedural scope of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). In a conversation with IREI, Sean Burton, CEO of Cityview, discusses how the new legislation transforms the development landscape. The reforms will significantly cut costs and increase predictability for developers. He sees this as a turning point that not only boosts investor confidence but also reflects California’s growing commitment to the “Abundance Agenda” — a policy direction focused on expanding housing supply while maintaining sensible environmental protections.
Governor Newsom just rolled back CEQA. From your perspective, what’s the most significant part of this change for developers?
The most significant land use reform in California since the Nixon administration, AB 130 and SB 131 reshape the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA
