Critics of a new provision calling “social noise” an environmental impact say the law can too easily be co-opted by anti-housing groups to block new development.
An opinion piece from early March by Jennifer Hernandez and Robert Apodaca in the Los Angeles Times outlines how community groups have used the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to block new student housing at the University of California, Berkeley.
The authors argue that building more housing close to campus is in fact the more environmentally friendly option. “More students living near campus means less traffic.” But a recent court ruling halted plans for a new housing complex and forced the university to withhold admission from thousands of potential new students, citing the potential impacts of a higher population.
Now, a new court ruling deems noise from college parties an environmental impact, giving NIMBY groups another weapon in their fight against new university housing. The authors see this as a slippery slope to other restrictions. “The concept of ‘social noise’ is perfectly designed to block housing in existing neighborhoods. If this ruling stands, other demographic and individual behaviors could become adverse ‘environmental’ impacts under CEQA.” Meanwhile, the authors point out that students who experience housing insecurity are more likely to drop out, making affordable housing a crucial part of supporting student success.
More on the UC Berkeley story:
FULL STORY: Opinion: How California came to treat UC Berkeley students’ ‘noise’ as a dire environmental threat
UC Berkeley Says Supportive Housing ‘Inseparable’ Part of People’s Park Project
The park remains closed to the public as a court weighs a decision on the university’s proposed housing development.
New California Law Alters CEQA in Favor of Student Housing
Following a heated legal battle over new student housing in Berkeley, Governor Newsom signed a new law removing ‘social noise’ as an environmental impact.
Berkeley Noise Pollution Precedent Blocks Los Angeles Housing
Opponents to a new university housing project cited a recent Berkeley case in which noise pollution was successfully used to deny an exemption from environmental review.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?
EV Chargers Now Outnumber Gas Pumps by Nearly 50% in California
Fast chargers still lag behind amidst rapid growth.
Affordable Housing Renovations Halt Mid-Air Amidst DOGE Clawbacks
HUD may rescind over a billion dollars earmarked for green building upgrades.
Has Anyone at USDOT Read Donald Shoup?
USDOT employees, who are required to go back to the office, will receive free parking at the agency’s D.C. offices — flying in the face of a growing research body that calls for pricing parking at its real value.
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