AB 2601 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Planning and zoning: housing development: streamlined approval and subdivisions.

Summary
Under the Planning and Zoning Law, the legislative body of a city or county may adopt ordinances that, among other things, regulate the use of buildings, structures, and land, as provided. The Subdivision Map Act vests the authority to regulate and control the design and improvement of subdivisions in the legislative body of a local agency and sets forth procedures governing the local agency's processing, approval, conditional approval or disapproval, and filing of tentative, final, and parcel maps. Existing law requires a local agency to consider ministerially a proposed housing development containing no more than 2 residential units within a single-family residential zone, without discretionary review or a hearing, if the proposed housing development meets specified requirements. Existing law requires a local agency to ministerially approve a parcel map for an urban lot split if the parcel meets specified requirements. This bill would require that an application for a proposed housing development containing no more than 2 residential units within a single-family residential zone, as described above, be eligible for concurrent processing with an application for a parcel map for an urban lot split, as provided. The bill would authorize a local agency to condition issuance of building permits, grading permits, or certificates of occupancy for a proposed housing development upon the applicant first obtaining approval and recording a parcel map for eligible parcels pursuant to the above-described urban lot split provisions. The bill would specify that a "parcel map" for purposes of these provisions means a parcel map prepared in accordance with specified provisions of the Subdivision Map Act and may include a condominium plan if proposed by the subdivider, as specified. Existing law authorizes a development proponent to submit an application for a housing development project on a subdivided lot, as specified, that meets specified requirements, and requires a local agency to ministerially consider that application, as specified. Existing law requires a local agency to issue a building permit for one or more residential units on a lot proposed to be subdivided, as specified, if the applicant for the permit meets prescribed requirements. Existing law requires a local agency to ministerially consider, without discretionary review or a hearing, a parcel map or a tentative and final map for a housing development project that meets specified requirements, including that the proposed subdivision will result in 10 or fewer parcels and the housing development project on the lot proposed to be subdivided will contain 10 or fewer residential units, except as provided. This bill would require an application for a housing development project on a subdivided lot or an application for a building permit for one or more residential units on a lot proposed to be subdivided, as described above, to be eligible for concurrent processing with an application for a parcel map or a tentative and final map under the above-described subdivision provisions, as provided. The bill would authorize a local agency to condition issuance of building permits, grading permits, or certificates of occupancy for a proposed housing development under these provisions upon the applicant first obtaining approval and recording a parcel map for eligible parcels pursuant to the above-described subdivision provisions. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 65852.28 of the Government Code proposed by SB 1090 and SB 1116 to be operative only if this bill and either or both SB 1090 and SB 1116 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 66411.7 of the Government Code proposed by AB 2005 to be operative only if this bill and AB 2005 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 66499.41 of the Government Code proposed by SB 1090 and SB 1116 to be operative only if this bill and either or both SB 1090 and SB 1116 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Jul 2026
Assembly Passage
May 2026
Senate Passage
Aug 2026
Governor
Introduced Feb 20, 2026 Last action Aug 30, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

08/21/26 - Amended Senate AB2601 · 9 edits
MAJOR
AB 2601 is a California housing streamlining bill that was amended in the Senate (August 21, 2026) and then replaced with a new Assembly version. The bill establishes ministerial approval pathways for small housing developments (up to 2 units in single-family zones and up to 10 units on subdivided lots), allows concurrent processing of building applications with parcel map applications, and imposes strict limits on what local agencies can require. A notable feature is a geographic exemption for ZIP Codes 91001 and 91003 (Inland Empire area) effective October 1, 2026, with grandfathering for pre-existing applications and an exception for 100% affordable housing projects by qualified nonprofit entities.
SCOPE

A geographic exemption removes the streamlined 10-unit subdivision approval (Section 65852.28) for projects in ZIP Codes 91001 and 91003 for applications submitted on or after October 1, 2026, effectively carving out a specific Inland Empire area from the bill's housing streamlining provisions.

The density preclusion standard is expanded: local agencies may not impose standards that physically preclude development with at least as many units as the maximum number of parcels that may be subdivided on the lot, in addition to the existing standard tied to Section 65583.2 densities.

ELIGIBILITY

Applications submitted before October 1, 2026 in the exempted ZIP Codes are grandfathered: applicants have 180 days to submit a complete development application and an additional 90 days to respond to completeness notices, after which the application expires.

A separate exemption preserves streamlined approval for 100% affordable housing projects (all units at affordable cost or rent) developed by community land trusts, qualified nonprofit corporations, or nonprofit housing sponsors with deed restrictions of at least 55 years for rental and 45 years for owner-occupied units.

TIMELINE

The section containing the geographic exemption includes a sunset provision: it remains in effect only until January 1, 2030, after which it is repealed.

REQUIREMENT

New setback restrictions limit front setbacks from the original lot line to no more than 10 feet and restrict internal setbacks between newly created parcels, except as required by the California Building Standards Code.

A new interpretive directive requires that Section 65852.28 be interpreted liberally in favor of producing the maximum number of total housing units.

A new floor area ratio (FAR) floor is added: local agencies may not impose a FAR standard less than 1.25 for projects of any size under this section, supplementing the existing tiered FAR minimums (1.0 for 3-7 units, 1.25 for 8-10 units).

DEFINITION

Height limits are clarified to apply exclusively to the physical height of a building and shall not restrict the number of floors, preventing local agencies from using height rules to cap unit counts indirectly.

Floor votes · Senate Aug 28, 2026 · Assembly May 4, 2026

How they voted

298
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 40
Aug 28, 2026
D Democratic30
28 Yea 2
93% Yea
R Republican10
1 Yea 8 Nay 1
80% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
23
Key actions
10
Committee
8
Amendments
6
Aug 30, 2026
Lower · Passed
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling.
lower
Aug 28, 2026
Introduced
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
lower
Aug 28, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 29. Noes 8.).
upper
Aug 21, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
upper
Aug 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
upper
Jul 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (July 1).
upper
Jun 25, 2026
Upper · Passed
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. (Ayes 8. Noes 1.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
upper
May 13, 2026
Committee
Referred to Coms. on HOUSING and L. GOV.
upper
May 4, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 46. Noes 14. Page 4908.)
lower
Apr 23, 2026
Lower · Passed
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 22).
lower
Apr 20, 2026
Committee
Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
lower
Apr 16, 2026
Committee
(Pending re-refer to Com. on L. GOV.)
lower
Apr 16, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read second time and amended.
lower
Apr 15, 2026
Introduced
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 15).
lower
Mar 9, 2026
Committee
Referred to Coms. on H. & C.D. and L. GOV.
lower
Feb 21, 2026
Lower · Passed
From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Alex Lee
Alex Lee
DDemocratic
CA
24