By Jorge Casuso
May 19, 2025 -- The City Council last Tuesday voted to oppose a State bill that would speed up the rebuilding of homes devastated by January's wildfires but could cripple Santa Monica's climate goals.
As currently written, the bill -- which would take effect on June 1 -- freezes existing building standards for all residential buildings from June 1, 2025 to June 1, 2031.
The bill also "prohibits a city or county from making changes or modifications to building standards affecting residential units, including to green building standards" with few exemptions, according to an Assembly analysis of the bill.
On Tuesday the Council voted unanimously with no discussion to send a letter to the bill's author Assemblymember Nick Schultz (D-Burbank) and to Santa Monica's representatives in the Legislature opposing the bill unless amended.
The proposed change would "exclude existing residential buildings from the moratorium, so that it would apply only to newly constructed housing," according to the Councilmember item placed on the agenda by Mayor Lana Negrete.
"This change would allow the City to continue its critical work to de-carbonize older housing stock, increasing energy efficiency, reducing monthly utility costs, and improving health and quality of life for current residents," Negrete wrote.
The letter also would "clarify that local governments can adopt the existing 2025 State Building Code language currently scheduled to take effect January 1, 2026," according to the item.
The proposed amendments also would allow local governments to modify the building code if approved by the California Building Standards Commission and other adopting agencies before the bill expires in 2031.
The building standards set rules for everything from a building's layout and energy use to electrical wiring and plumbing, to which local governments can sometimes add requirements.
AB 306, which is co-authored by Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, easily passed the Assembly and is being considered by Senate committees.
If approved, the bill would kick in as the Council is set to take up
a Building Performance Standards Policy that requires existing large buildings citywide to meet clean energy goals ("City to Adopt Clean Energy Targets for Existing Buildings," May 1, 2025).
The Clean and Healthy Existing Buildings Ordinance, or CHEBO, sets reduction targets for energy use and/or greenhouse gas reductions that must be met every five years.
The ordinance would "follow the goals and actions" outlined in the $830 million Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) unanimously approved by the Council in May 2019.
The plan's Zero Net Carbon Buildings section calls for developing "programs, resources and incentives to support gas-to-electric conversion of appliances, hot-water heaters and HVAC systems."
Santa Monica would join West Hollywood in opposing AB 306 as written. On April 9, the neighboring City sent a letter to Schultz that reflects the Council's concerns and recommendations.
If AB 306 were to become law, the letter states, "West
Hollywood would not be able to meet its climate goals, which align
with the State’s progressive climate agenda.
"In addition to not meeting carbon neutrality by 2035, the City would not be able to deliver on the West Hollywood Climate Action and Adaptation Plan."
Schultz has said the bill remains a work in progress, according to CalMatters, a nonprofit news organization covering California state politics and policies.
The Assemblymember said he is "currently negotiating possible changes to the bill that would allow for a general 'escape hatch' for any proposed changes to the code that might actually reduce the cost of housing,'" according to CalMattters.
