Housing developments: disasters: reconstruction of destroyed or damaged structures.

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A 'Digest Key' metadata block was added showing Vote: MAJORITY, Appropriation: NO, Fiscal Committee: YES, Local Program: YES.

Official chaptered document formatting removed, including page numbers, centered headers, and the 'STATE OF CALIFORNIA / AUTHENTICATED / ELECTRONIC LEGITAL MATERIAL' header block.

Section 4766(c): The review period for a complete application was clarified from ambiguous markup ('30 business' struck through with '45 calendar' inserted) to a clean '45 calendar days,' confirming the association has 45 calendar days (not 30 business days) to approve or return a complete reconstruction application.

Section 4766(e)(2): The deadline for a final written determination on an appeal was corrected from '60 business calendar days' (a contradictory phrase) to '60 calendar days,' giving the association 60 calendar days to resolve an appeal.

Section 4766(e)(1): The appeal provision was simplified from 'to appeal that decision in writing to the body pursuant to Section 4765' to 'to appeal that decision pursuant to Section 4765,' removing redundant language since Section 4765 already specifies the written appeal process.

Header changed from Senate/Assembly passage lines to the standard 'STATE OF CALIFORNIA AUTHENTICATED ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL' format with Chapter 548 designation and approval date of October 10, 2025

Page numbering changed from 'SB 625' references to 'Ch. 548' references throughout the document

The deadline for a review body to determine whether an application is complete or incomplete was extended from 15 business days (approximately 21 calendar days) to 30 calendar days (approximately 22 business days), giving the body about one additional week to make its determination.

Throughout the bill, the term 'housing development proposal' was replaced with 'residential structure' in most contexts. For example, the definition of 'substantially similar reconstruction' now refers to rebuilding a 'residential structure on a separate interest' rather than a 'housing development proposal that rebuilds a separate interest.' This appears to be a clarification to make the statutory language more precise.

The definition of 'body' in Section 4766 was narrowed by removing 'commission' from the list, changing it from 'an association, architectural review commission, committee, or similar body' to 'an association, architectural review committee, or similar body.'

The disaster definition in Section 4752 was restructured from 'Declared disaster or state of emergency shall include' to 'Disaster means a declared disaster or state of emergency, including, but not limited to,' which is a clearer definitional format.

The attorney's fees provision in Section 4752(b) was simplified by removing the phrase 'proponent of a housing development proposal,' so it now reads that fees are awarded to 'the owner of a separate interest in a common interest development who prevails in an action to enforce this section.'

The term 'declared disaster or state of emergency' was replaced with the simpler term 'disaster,' defined as 'a declared disaster or state of emergency, including, but not limited to' federal, state, or local declarations. The 'including, but not limited to' language broadens the scope beyond the three listed types of declarations.

A new defined term 'objective design standard' was added, meaning a standard that involves no personal or subjective judgment and is uniformly verifiable by reference to an external and uniform benchmark available and knowable by both the applicant and the association before submittal.

The definition of 'body' in Section 4766 was expanded to include 'committee' alongside association, architectural review commission, or similar body. Cross-reference definitions for 'disaster' and 'substantially similar reconstruction' were also added to Section 4766 pointing back to Section 4752.

The deadline for a body (association, architectural review commission, etc.) to determine whether an application is complete or incomplete was changed from 15 business days to 30 calendar days. This gives the reviewing body roughly one additional week of time.

A new criterion (E) was added to the definition of 'substantially similar reconstruction of a residential structure': any objective design standard in effect at the time the original structure was destroyed or damaged must be met, provided the standard does not unreasonably increase construction cost, effectively prohibit construction, or extinguish the ability to rebuild.

A new Section 65914.203 was added providing that the streamlined ministerial approval process is optional and does not affect the availability, applicability, or use of any other exemption from CEQA (Division 13 of the Public Resources Code). The bill summary notes this expands the CEQA ministerial exemption to the extent the process applies to what would otherwise be discretionary approval.

The 'substantially similar reconstruction' definition was narrowed to specify it 'rebuilds a separate interest located in a common interest development,' making clear the provision applies specifically to HOA, condominium, and similar community settings rather than all residential properties.

The attorney's fees provision was clarified to cover the 'proponent of a housing development proposal owner of a separate interest in a common interest development' who prevails in an enforcement action, rather than just any 'proponent of a housing development proposal.'

Throughout the bill, 'development' was changed to 'housing development' and 'development proponent' to 'housing development proponent,' narrowing the streamlined ministerial approval process to specifically housing projects rather than any type of development on disaster-affected parcels.

The former 'SECTION 1' stating legislative intent (expediting rebuilding, ensuring local agencies expedite permits, and prohibiting enforcement of manufactured home ordinances) was removed from the operative text. Its substantive content regarding manufactured homes was relocated into the new binding Section 65914.202.

New Section 65914.202 was added to the Government Code, making any local ordinance that precludes the placement and use of a manufactured home, mobilehome, or recreational vehicle on a private lot (outside a mobilehome park or special occupancy park) unenforceable for three years following a disaster declaration. This provision applies to residential parcels that had a structure damaged or destroyed by the disaster.

The fiscal committee designation changed from 'no yes' to 'yes' and the state-mandated local program designation changed from 'no yes' to 'yes,' reflecting a cleaner determination that the bill imposes a state-mandated local program requiring fiscal committee review.

Added Civil Code Section 4752 making any covenant, restriction, or governing document provision void and unenforceable to the extent it prohibits a substantially similar reconstruction of a residential structure damaged or destroyed in a declared disaster (federal, state, or local).

Added Government Code Chapter 4.2.2 (Sections 65914.200-65914.201) titled 'Housing Developments Following the 2025 Los Angeles Wildfires,' creating a streamlined ministerial approval process that exempts qualifying developments from conditional use permits and other discretionary approvals.

The original bill was solely a statement of legislative intent with no operative legal effect. The amended version retains that intent language but moves it to the end and adds three sections of binding statutory law creating new rights, obligations, and deadlines.

Defined 'substantially similar reconstruction' with specific metrics: interior square footage cannot exceed 110 percent of original, exterior footprint must be same location and dimensions OR have setbacks of at least 4 feet from side and rear lot lines, and height cannot exceed 110 percent of original or 100 percent of the association's governing document limit (whichever is greater).

Added Civil Code Section 4766 requiring HOAs and similar bodies to determine application completeness within 15 business days, review complete applications within 30 business days, provide specific noncompliance lists with remediation guidance, offer a written appeal process with a 60-business-day final determination, and bar any further appeals or hearings once an application is approved.

Set eligibility criteria for the streamlined local government approval: development must be on a parcel where a residential structure was destroyed or damaged in a disaster, the proponent must have owned the site on the date of the disaster, the development must comply with labor standards under Section 65913.4, and it cannot be in a mobilehome park, RV park, or historic district.

Required local governments to approve qualifying developments within 90 days of submittal, provided written documentation of conflicts within 60 days (or 30 days for resubmissions), and established that failure to provide required documentation results in the development being deemed to satisfy objective planning standards.

Changed fiscal committee designation from 'no' to 'yes' and state-mandated local program designation from 'no' to 'yes,' acknowledging the bill imposes higher service levels on local agencies and expands the crime of perjury through certification requirements.

Added attorney's fee provisions in both new Civil Code sections, requiring courts to award reasonable attorney's fees to prevailing proponents or applicants who enforce the anti-restriction and review-timeline provisions.