Politics
California’s Prop. 45 would put new deadlines on environmental reviews for housing and infrastructure
The measure would accelerate environmental reviews and lawsuits for housing and a broad range of projects, including water systems, roads and broadband. Its approach has divided some housing advocates who typically favor policies that make construction easier.
California voters are being asked to consider a major change to the state’s environmental review process: Proposition 45 would set firm timelines for environmental reviews and lawsuits involving housing and other projects classified as essential.
The measure covers more than apartment construction. Its scope includes water systems, freeways and broadband infrastructure, as well as housing, according to the measure’s description. A yes vote would reshape how those projects move through the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, which requires government agencies to examine development’s environmental impacts.
Supporters of faster housing construction have often criticized CEQA as a tool that can delay or derail projects. Yet Prop. 45 has not united the YIMBY movement, whose members generally support making it easier to build housing. YIMBY Action executive director Laura Foote’s organization is among those whose members are split on the measure.
The disagreement highlights a broader policy trade-off: speeding up reviews could reduce delays for needed homes and infrastructure, while changing a law intended to assess environmental consequences. The measure would affect projects well beyond housing, making its potential reach a central issue for voters weighing the proposal.