2025 California Legal Updates: What You Need to Know – Part One
Insight and Guidance Addressing Public Infrastructure, Transportation, Housing and Property Regulations
In Part One of the New Laws series from Best Best & Krieger LLP (BBK), new legislation for 2025 focusing on public infrastructure, transportation, housing and property regulations includes key takeaways and analyses of AB 413, SB 1216, AB 2579, SB 146, AB 2247 and SB 1527.
Public Infrastructure And Transportation
Assembly Bill 413 (AB 413) amends Section 22500 of the Vehicle Code relating to vehicles. AB 413 does the following:
- Prohibits the stopping, standing or parking of a vehicle within 20 feet of the vehicle approach side of any unmarked or marked crosswalk, or within 15 feet of any crosswalk where a curb extension is present. Existing law prohibited the stopping, standing or parking of a vehicle in certain places, like within an intersection, on a sidewalk or crosswalk, or in front of a fire station driveway, and under certain conditions, like where a bus operates as a common carrier and loads or unloads passengers.
- Imposes a state-mandated local program, under certain conditions.
- Adds to that list of prohibited places and provides a local agency with the right to change the designated distances if (1) there is a showing that the different distance is justified under established traffic safety standards, and (2) the agency marked the different distance using paint or signage.
- Allows local agencies to issue a citation for violation of this law. As of January 1, 2025, local agencies are no longer restricted to only issuing warnings for violations of the law.
Existing constitutional provisions require the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs if the Commission on State Mandates determines there are costs associated with adopting this law.
Senate Bill 1216 (SB 1216) applies to “transportation projects: Class III bikeways: prohibition.” SB 1216 has two main revisions as follows:
(1) Existing law establishes four classifications of bikeways and defines a “Class III bikeway” as a bikeway that provides a right-of-way on-street or off-street, designated by signs or permanent markings, and shared with pedestrians and motorists. SB 1216 defines “sharrow” as the pavement marking used to inform road users that bicyclists might occupy the travel lane. The bill prohibits an agency responsible for the development or operation of bikeways or highways where bicycle travel is permitted from installing a new sharrow on a highway that has a posted speed limit greater than 30 miles per hour (except as specified) on and after January 1, 2025.
(2) Existing law establishes the Active Transportation Program in the Department of Transportation for the purpose of encouraging increased use of active modes of transportation (such as biking and walking) with specified available funds to be allocated to eligible projects by the California Transportation Commission and regional transportation agencies through the adoption of a program of projects. Existing law requires the commission to develop guidelines regarding, among other topics, project eligibility and project selection for the program of projects, as provided.
SB 1216 prohibits the California Transportation Commission from adding a project that creates a Class III bikeway or a sharrow to the program of projects (except as specified) on and after January 1, 2026. SB 1216 requires the commission to make conforming changes to its guidelines regarding project eligibility and project selection for the program of projects as specified.
Assembly Bill 2579 (AB 2579) is an act to amend Section 17973 of the Health and Safety Code relating to business and professions.
Existing law provides authority for an enforcement agency to enter and inspect any buildings or premises whenever necessary to secure compliance with or prevent a violation of the building standards published in the California Building Standards Code (and other rules and regulations that the enforcement agency has the power to enforce). Existing law requires an inspection by January 1, 2025 (and by January 1 every six years thereafter), of exterior elevated elements and associated waterproofing elements as defined (including decks and balconies) for buildings with three or more multifamily dwelling units as specified. Existing law provides if the property was inspected within three years prior to January 1, 2019, no new inspection is required until January 1, 2025.
AB 2579 extends the deadline for initial inspection until July 1, 2025. AB 2579 also provides that no new inspection is required until July 1, 2027, if the property was inspected within three years prior to January 1, 2019, as specified.
Senate Bill 146 (SB 146) takes effect immediately as an urgency statute affecting transportation and public works projects. SB 146 contains the following revisions:
- Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to assume the responsibilities of the United States Secretary of Transportation under the National Environmental Policy Act and other federal environmental laws for any railroad, public transportation, or multimodal project undertaken by state agencies until December 31, 2033.
- Authorizes the Department of Water Resources and the Department of Transportation to use a prescribed progressive design-build procurement process for the construction of up to eight (8) public works projects per department for projects that are estimated to exceed $25,000,000 in total price.
- Authorizes the Department of Transportation to use job order contracting as prescribed under SB 146 for certain public projects (such as those related to transportation and public works projects including those related to highway maintenance, storm water pollution control, and traffic control) until December 31, 2033.
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Housing And Property Regulations
Assembly Bill 2247 (AB 2247) introduced significant updates to the Mobile Home Parks Act by extending and refining provisions designed to ensure the safety, habitability and proper maintenance of mobile home parks across California effective January 1, 2025. The legislation builds on existing inspection, enforcement and financial support mechanisms to better protect residents and support compliance efforts.
- Extension of Inspection and Enforcement Provisions. AB 2247 extends the expiration date for inspection and enforcement measures from January 1, 2025 to January 1, 2030. These provisions require enforcement agencies to inspect a minimum of 5% of mobile home parks annually, prioritizing those with a history of significant health and safety violations. To ensure transparency, residents and park operators must receive at least 30 days’ written notice prior to inspections. Enforcement agencies will issue formal notices specifying the nature of the violation, corrective actions required and potential penalties for noncompliance if violations are identified.
- Enhanced Access to Financial Resources. Recognizing the financial challenges faced by residents in addressing violations, AB 2247 requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to include local recipients of loans from the Manufactured Housing Opportunity and Revitalization Program in its publicly available list of home rehabilitation and repair programs. Enforcement agencies must provide this list to residents receiving violation notices, ensuring greater awareness and access to financial resources for necessary repairs and improvements.
- Continuation of the Annual Fee. To fund these inspection and enforcement activities, AB 2247 extends the collection of the $4 per lot annual fee through January 1, 2030. This fee is specifically allocated to support inspection programs for mobile home parks and individual mobile homes, enabling the continued enforcement of safety standards without placing additional strain on general funding sources.
Senate Bill 1527 (SB 1527) brings important updates to California’s property tax laws, focusing on low-value properties and tribal housing effective January 1, 2025.
- Low Valuation Exemption Extended. Previously, county boards of supervisors were authorized to exempt real property with a base year value or personal property with a full value not exceeding $10,000 from taxation. For possessory interests, this threshold was temporarily increased to $50,000 for lien dates between January 1, 2020 and January 1, 2025. SB 1527 extends this higher threshold through January 1, 2030, providing continued relief for small-scale property interests and reducing administrative costs for counties.
- Tribal Housing Exemption. SB 1527 expands property tax exemptions for tribal housing. Existing law already exempts properties owned and operated by federally recognized Indian tribes or their tribally designated housing entities, provided they are used for low-income housing. SB 1527 builds on this by including properties with federal low-income housing tax credit reservations, where ownership is structured through a limited partnership with the tribe or its housing entity as the sole general partner. This change supports the development and operation of affordable housing projects within tribal communities, addressing critical housing needs.
Disclaimer: BBK Legal Alerts are not intended as legal advice. Additional facts, facts specific to your situation, or future developments may affect subjects contained herein. Seek the advice of an attorney before acting or relying upon any information herein.
Key Contacts
