Bill > AB2074

This bill requires major transit cities, defined as cities with at least 400,000 residents and at least two transit-oriented development stops (stops designed to encourage transit use), to designate specific areas as "regional transit hub districts" by July 1, 2027. These districts are intended to encourage the development of "downtown housing developments," which are housing projects within these districts that meet certain criteria, including specific labor standards and a maximum average habitable square footage per unit of 1,750 square feet. The bill mandates that these downtown housing developments be an allowable use within the designated districts and streamlines their approval process, making them eligible for ministerial approval, which means approval based on objective standards rather than discretionary review. It also sets minimum height and floor area ratio requirements for these districts and requires a portion of these districts to have higher limits. Additionally, the bill establishes a study by the California Housing Finance Agency to explore the feasibility of a state construction loan program for housing developments, replacing a previous provision that created a loan fund. The bill also clarifies that these changes are a matter of statewide concern and apply to all cities, including charter cities, and addresses potential state mandates on local governments.