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Permitting has been in the news lately as multiple efforts to streamline or fast-track project development have been pursued. In addition to ballot measures and legislative efforts, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) spearheaded the creation of the California Permit Streamlining Academy (CaPSA), a comprehensive initiative designed to create measurable and sustainable improvements in local permitting practices throughout California. The California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED), selected through a competitive process, is now developing, managing, and implementing CaPSA.

Today’s Environment

This work is not being done in a vacuum. CaPSA is being developed as other efforts move forward, such as recent federal legislation. HR 6644, 21st Century Road to Housing Act, passed the Senate 85-5, and House 358-32, showing rare bipartisan support and took effect on July 11, 2026. Among its many provisions, the Road Act requires the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop comprehensive guidance and best practices for state and local zoning frameworks.

Additionally, the Act expands National Environmental Protection Agency exemptions, exclusions, and delegation authority. It imposes 10% cuts to CDBG grants in jurisdictions with lower housing growth rates, to, in turn, give bonus awards to those with higher growth rates and authorizes $200 million in annual competitive grants for jurisdictions demonstrating improvement in housing supply growth. Local governments should be watching for opportunities to engage in public comment on the development of these details.

Closer to home, CALED tracked over 60 bills this legislative season that impact local permitting. At least 50 of those bills made it through the legislative process and to the Governor’s desk. This volume is unprecedented and reflects the concern related to overall efficiency in the minds of state legislators. The overwhelming message to cities and counties is that permitting is a federal and state concern. If local governments do not tighten up their permitting timelines, the federal and state government will tighten their processes for them.

Even with this intervention, the process of permit streamlining isn’t simple. Governor Newsom recently vetoed SB 954 Blakespear, which would have repealed the recent CEQA exemption for advanced manufacturing that was approved as part of the budget trailer bill language in 2025.

In Newsom’s veto, he shared that “we enacted the most significant reforms of California housing and environmental review law in a decades-long overdue overhaul to get California building again,” highlighting the significance of that action. The exemptions from last year and the CaPSA initiative are part of a more thoughtful response to the permit process in California.

The Governor also made the important point in his veto statement that, “[protecting] communities and strengthening California’s advanced manufacturing economy are not mutually exclusive goals. The exemption was designed to advance both and should be given meaningful opportunity to work.”

Help for Local Governments

As part of these broader efforts, CALED is rolling out next steps for CaPSA and inviting cities and counties to apply. The first training will be held at Fresno State University (FSU), the first week of December 2026. With only a few short months to go, now is the time to engage.

For cities and counties that want to participate, start planning the following items for your application now:

• Identify key team members — who will make up your 5- to 6-person cohort training group?
• Secure support from your jurisdiction’s leadership — often these changes need to be made by the leadership (county administrator, city manager, etc.) in a city or county, and therefore, they should be invested in the process.
• Identify a case study to submit — applicants will need to propose an improvement and explain why it is important and how it will benefit their community.

The application period is opening soon, so prepare now.

Beyond the Training

With limited cohort spots, most cities and counties in California will not be able to participate, which is why CaPSA has a robust model practice sharing component built in, allowing all jurisdictions to learn from the program.

Cities, counties, and private sector consultants that have already implemented effective strategies can share their wisdom and experience by submitting model practices. They can also show their support and commitment to permit streamlining and transparency by becoming Affinity Partners. Both actions can be taken on the CaPSA website.

Private sector consultants and systems improvement professionals can also participate in CaPSA as instructors or technical assistance providers. RFPs will be released soon, and CALED encourages professionals with the appropriate expertise to submit proposals.

CALED knows that its strength is in its network of economic development professionals, and the rollout of CaPSA is no different. CaPSA’s success will be realized through the jurisdictions that apply, those that share model practices, and the wider network of professionals that share their expertise. It is part of a comprehensive solution and reflective of a larger change in the permitting environment. As a piece of those broader efforts, CaPSA will be instrumental in the success of California in the future. Visit the CaPSA website and sign up for the listserv to be part of that success.

By Michelle Stephens, ACE, Program Director, California Association for Local Economic Development

Permit streamlining is an issue that often intersects with economic development and in the past twenty years, the California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED) has seen scores of presentations, articles, and model practices about “Turning Red Tape to Red Carpet,” “Tips on the top ten ways to streamline your permitting processes,” “Fast-tracking versus streamlining,” and more. If so many organizations and people have focused on this, one has to ask: is it really possible to move the needle on permit streamlining?

Now is the time to take a closer look at finding the answer. California is facing pressure to deliver infrastructure, housing, redevelop blighted areas, support job-creating economic development uses, as well as enhance California’s ability to compete for investment under programs like federal Opportunity Zones, and more. To get some clarity and movement on the topic, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) recently released an RFP to help modernize and improve permitting across the state. In that, GO-Biz proposed the California Permit Streamlining Academy (CaPSA) to deliver technical assistance to local governments and empower permitting teams with the tools, skills, and strategies for continuous improvement.

CALED responded to the RFP and was awarded a $5 million grant from GO-Biz to accelerate permit streamlining efforts across California. While this investment will support a comprehensive, action-oriented program designed to help jurisdictions modernize permitting, one clear challenge with this work is being on the same page regarding the metric for measuring permit streamlining success. This includes identifying what types of development we are trying to assist. Also, making the process faster doesn’t mean cutting safety considerations. Efforts from the state and legislature seek to answer these questions for local governments through legislation, program guidelines, accountability measures, and incentives to get cities and counties to advance development.

However, local governments must balance that with residents’ needs, local budget realities, and capacity constraints. The solution to developing clear timelines, cost expectations, and certainty at the local level, must include local input. To ensure the California Permit Streamlining Academy takes this into account, CaPSA formed an Advisory Board that will serve as a sounding board and brain trust for the program. The advisors represent critical areas of permitting – from city/county planning to building officials, to private sector users, technology tool providers, legal experts, and rural representation. Together, their varied perspectives will inform the creation of resources that can truly assist local governments.

CaPSA Advisory Board

• Jennifer McLain Hiramoto, Executive Director, Economic Development, City of Ontario
• Michelle Geller, Economic Development Manager, City of Oceanside
• Jake Potter, MUP, Economic Development Manager, Innovation & Econ. Dev. Department, City of Livermore
• Nancy Sands, Senior Management Analyst, Community & Econ. Dev., City of Petaluma
• Matt Donovan , Regional Vice President, ACCELA
• Leticia M. Ramirez, Attorney, Thatch & Hooper, LLP
• Robert Burris, Vice President, Economic Development, Rural County Representatives of CA
• Oscar Mancillas, Interim Deputy & Building Official, Community & Economic Development, Building & Safety Division, City of Riverside
• Michael Washam, ACE, MEDP, Associate Director- Economic Development & Planning, Tulare County Resource Agency

With these industry experts and in partnership with GO-Biz, CALED is committed to reducing barriers, strengthening local capacity, and advancing economic opportunity across the state. Cities and counties are on the front lines of fostering economic opportunity, and this grant enables CALED to provide targeted resources and technical assistance to enhance permitting processes, define metrics of success, and help move the needle on project development in California.

Permit streamlining is more than a slogan, though. It’s a call to action for California’s local leaders to identify and implement practical solutions to make their permitting processes transparent, cost-effective, and timely so investors, businesses, residents and the community have certainty needed to build the future.

By Gurbax Sahota, President & CEO, California Association for Local Economic Development