Sacramento Update: HAC's 2026 Legislative Session in Progress

Sacramento Update: HAC's 2026 Legislative Session in Progress

It's been a busy few weeks in Sacramento, and HAC's sponsored and supported bills are moving — with some wins, some setbacks, and more fights ahead. Here's where things stand.

AB 1903 (Wicks) — Construction Defect Reform

HAC's co-sponsored bill to fix California's broken condominium construction defect litigation landscape cleared its first major hurdle, passing out of the Assembly Judiciary Committee unanimously. AB 1903, authored by Assemblywoman Wicks, would reform the pre-litigation process that currently makes condo construction so risky and costly that most developers simply won't build them — a key reason California's for-sale housing supply has stalled. 

SB 1003 (Grayson) — Pro-Housing Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts

HAC testified in support of SB 1003, authored by Senator Grayson, as it passed the Senate Housing Committee. The bill creates a new tool — Pro-Housing Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (PEIFDs) — to help local governments fund the infrastructure that makes infill housing possible. Site prep, utility connections, and access improvements: these costs are among the most common reasons otherwise feasible projects never break ground. SB 1003 addresses that gap directly, rewarding jurisdictions that align their infrastructure investment with housing goals through enhanced Pro-Housing Designation credit and priority access to state pre-development funding. Notably, the bill requires local governments and developers to apply jointly and demonstrate how cost savings will be passed on to future residents — real accountability built into the program design.

AB 1815 (Wicks) — Factory-Built Housing

HAC's co-sponsored bill to remove regulatory barriers to factory-built housing passed out of the Assembly Housing Committee. AB 1815, authored by Assemblywoman Wicks, would establish clear standards for factory-built housing, helping to unlock a construction method with real potential to bring down costs and speed up delivery. As California increasingly looks to innovation to address its housing shortage, removing the policy friction that has slowed factory-built adoption is a commonsense step — and we're glad to see it moving.

AB 2252 (Lee) — Single-Stair Buildings

HAC's co-sponsored bill to allow single-stair construction in buildings up to six stories did not advance out of the Assembly Housing Committee this session. Facing persistent opposition from the fire service, the author, Assemblymember Lee, chose to present the bill without a vote rather than risk a loss on the record. While the outcome is disappointing, the hearing kept the conversation alive and on the agenda. Single-stair reform remains a critical piece of unlocking more housing types — particularly the missing middle and smaller multifamily buildings that California desperately needs — and HAC will continue pushing for a path forward.

SB 1258 (Wiener) — Cortese List Site Remediation Timing

HAC's co-sponsored bill to align the timing of Cortese List site remediation with construction activities was gutted in the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality this week, effectively killing it for the session. This is a frustrating outcome — SB 1258, authored by Senator Wiener, would have been a meaningful step toward unlocking thousands of infill sites across the state that remain stuck in redevelopment limbo, not because they can't be cleaned up, but because current rules misalign when cleanup must happen relative to construction. The Senate EQ Committee's action continues a pattern of environmental process requirements blocking exactly the kind of infill development California needs most.

AB 736 (Wicks) & SB 417 (Cabaldon) — Affordable Housing Bond

Good news on the bond front: both vehicles for putting an affordable housing bond before California voters are advancing. AB 736 (Wicks), passed in the Senate Housing Committee, while the companion measure SB 417 (Cabaldon), passed in the Assembly Housing and Community Development. Getting a bond on the ballot is one of the most consequential things the Legislature can do this session for affordable housing production, and HAC is glad to see both measures moving on parallel tracks.