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SACRAMENTO, CA — Assembly Bill 2418 (González), a targeted measure sponsored by the California Business Properties Association (CBPA) and co-sponsored by BOMA Greater Los Angeles, BOMA California local associations, and NAIOP SoCal with critical support from the Commercial Real Estate Development Association California (CREDA) to address prolonged commercial plan-checking delays, passed the California State Senate today on a unanimous 38-0 bipartisan vote.
“Bureaucratic nonsense and chronic delays are the difference between a vibrant business and another shuttered storefront,” said Assemblymember Mark González (D- Los Angeles). “Accountability and predictability when opening a business are essential, and the current delays in routine inspections and permitting are ridiculous,” continued González. “Especially in DTLA, why are there so many barriers to trying to open, expand, and reinvest in our communities. AB 2418 creates alternative routes and gives business owners the option to expedite their review process.”
As amended, AB 2418 creates a narrowly tailored pathway to address prolonged plan-review delays for qualifying tenant improvement projects in existing Group B (Business Occupancy) buildings. The bill allows applicants to utilize a qualified third-party plan checker, at the applicant’s expense, only after an extended review delay. Local agencies retain authority to establish reviewer qualifications, determine project eligibility, and make all final permitting decisions.
“This marks another important milestone in the ongoing effort to address the permitting delays that continue to impact commercial projects throughout Los Angeles and across California,” said Michelle Ware, President and CEO of BOMA Greater Los Angeles. “We appreciate Assemblymember Mark González for his leadership on this issue and for recognizing the real-world impacts these delays have on businesses, property owners and economic activity in communities throughout downtown Los Angeles and surrounding neighborhoods.”
“This legislation originated from a simple problem we have been dealing with for years, projects that should take weeks to review are instead taking several months,” said Stephane Wandel, President of NAIOP SoCal. “AB 2418 gives building permit applicants additional options to speed up the process by hiring a third-party plan checker when city departments are overworked and delays become too unreasonable.”
AB 2418 is sponsored by CBPA and co-sponsored by NAIOP SoCal and BOMA Greater Los Angeles. AB 2418 now returns to the State Assembly for a concurrence vote on recent Senate amendments before heading to the Governor.
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