SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KGO) -- In an ambitious effort to address California’s ongoing housing crisis, Bay Area Assemblymember Buffy Wicks led a coalition of state lawmakers in Sacramento on Thursday to introduce a sweeping legislative package.

The package consists of 22 bills designed to cut through bureaucratic delays that have long hindered housing development. By reducing red tape in the permitting process, the lawmakers aim to make it faster and more efficient to build new homes across the state.

"Housing is the number one expense in almost every single household in California. And lack of housing affordability affects every other aspect of our society," Wicks stated, emphasizing the urgency of the crisis.

Overhauling the Permitting Process

One of the key aspects of the proposed legislation is a complete revamp of the housing permitting process, from initial applications to final construction approvals. Local housing organizations have expressed support for these reforms, arguing that inefficient timelines have significantly driven up development costs.

The Housing Action Coalition, an advocacy group pushing for more housing, highlights the financial toll that delays take on developers.

"When you're dealing with the uncertainty of timelines that it will take to actually get permits, that unnecessary delay causing a lot of extra costs," said Ali Sapirman of the Housing Action Coalition.

Addressing Environmental Lawsuit Delays

Another major component of the bill package focuses on curbing construction delays caused by environmental lawsuits. The proposed legislation includes an exemption for new housing developments in already urbanized areas, ensuring that legal challenges do not unduly stall much-needed projects.

Historically, similar proposals have faced opposition from environmental groups concerned about preserving green spaces and reducing pollution. However, some environmental advocates believe that the bill package could actually benefit the local ecosystem.

Jordan Grimes, who works with Green Belt Alliance, an environmental nonprofit in the Bay Area, believes that modernizing the review process would help strike a balance between housing needs and environmental concerns.

"The standard for environmental review should be different for an oil derrick than it is for an affordable housing project. And that isn't the case right now," Grimes explained.

Grimes pointed out that the current regulations have inadvertently contributed to sprawl, pushing new developments further from major cities. This outward expansion has not only led to increased car dependency but also placed more homes in high-risk wildfire zones.

"We need to fundamentally rethink how and where we live as a state. And permitting reform really gets at exactly that," he added.

The Path Forward

While the bill package has gained traction among housing advocates and some environmentalists, it is expected to face scrutiny as it moves through the legislative process. Developers and policymakers argue that if enacted, the reforms could significantly accelerate the construction of affordable housing, helping to stabilize the state’s skyrocketing home prices.

For Wicks, this legislative push represents one of the most ambitious efforts in years to reform California’s complex housing policies.

"If passed, this package would be one of the most comprehensive overhauls to California's housing rules in years," she said.

The outcome of these proposals could reshape the future of housing development in California, with far-reaching implications for affordability, environmental impact, and urban planning.

Originally reported by Tim Johns in ABC 7 News.