California governor vows to change law blocking new housing
By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ
Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he wants to reform a landmark state environmental law after it was used to block needed student housing at the University of California, Berkeley. Newsom’s comments over the weekend followed a state appeals court ruling Friday that found the University of California “failed to assess potential noise impacts from loud student parties in residential neighborhoods near the campus.” The court cited the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, which Newsom says is “broken” and needs to be changed to allow the state to build much-needed housing.
