- “California has made real progress in the work to open up land and speed approvals — but those gains won’t matter if we can’t bring down the cost of actually building homes.” – Assemblymember Buffy Wicks
by Vanguard Staff
SACRAMENTO — Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas has appointed Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, to chair a newly-created Select Committee on Housing Construction Innovation, a body that will examine ways to modernize how homes are built in California to reduce costs, speed construction and align housing production with the state’s climate goals.
California continues to face a severe housing shortage that has driven up housing costs and contributed to widespread homelessness. Over the past decade, the Legislature has significantly expanded land zoned for housing and streamlined housing approvals, but housing production has not kept pace with demand.
State leaders say one major reason is that construction methods have changed little over the past century, remaining labor- and time-intensive even as other industries have adopted new technologies and industrial processes. By contrast, countries such as Sweden and Japan have reduced building costs through broader use of prefabrication, modular construction and other industrialized approaches.
The new select committee will conduct a public review of why these methods have not emerged in California and what the state can do to support their responsible adoption, with the goal of lowering construction costs, expanding affordability and accelerating homebuilding statewide.
“California has made real progress in the work to open up land and speed approvals — but those gains won’t matter if we can’t bring down the cost of actually building homes,” Wicks said. “This Select Committee will dig into the innovations that can meaningfully lower construction costs and help us produce housing at the scale Californians need. By learning from practitioners, studying what’s working around the world, and further identifying the barriers holding us back, we can chart a path toward modernizing how we build housing in this state.”
The committee is expected to hold two to three public hearings during the winter of 2025 and 2026 to examine innovative construction techniques, opportunities to shorten housing timelines, climate and environmental benefits, and regulatory, labor and financing challenges. Lawmakers also plan to visit modular factories, industrialized construction sites and other demonstration projects to observe emerging methods in practice.
Assemblymember Josh Hoover, R-Folsom, said the committee’s focus reflects the scale of the crisis. “We’re never going to end our housing crisis by doing things the same way we’ve always done them,” Hoover said. “That’s why I’m excited to be on this Select Committee and help lead innovation that will help us build a lot more homes in California.”
The committee’s findings will be compiled into a white paper to be released in early 2026, with lawmakers planning to use the recommendations to develop a package of housing legislation later that year aimed at removing barriers to innovation during the construction phase.
“Californians deserve housing that is affordable, full stop. That means building faster, slashing red tape and embracing bold ideas,” Rivas said. “Assemblymember Buffy Wicks is leading the charge, and I expect this committee to deliver affordable solutions, highlighting new construction techniques, while continuing to provide opportunities for homebuilders and good-paying jobs for construction workers.”
In addition to Wicks, the committee includes Assemblymembers David Alvarez of San Diego, Jessica Caloza of Los Angeles, Juan Carrillo of Palmdale, Sade Elhawary of South Los Angeles, Mark González of Los Angeles, Heather Hadwick of Alturas, Matt Haney of San Francisco, John Harabedian of Pasadena, Josh Hoover of Folsom, Diane Papan of San Mateo, Sharon Quirk-Silva of Fullerton, Rhodesia Ransom of Tracy, and Lori Wilson of Suisun City.
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