In a region already facing a staggering shortfall of more than half a million homes, the authors lay bare how Los Angeles’s permitting delays—averaging 15 months for a single-family home—compound the crisis. Following devastating fires that destroyed over 16,000 homes, the problem has only worsened. Rather than accelerating all rebuilding, officials prioritized only identical rebuilds, leaving families and developers who hoped to move or expand stranded in bureaucratic limbo. “Delays once measured in months could soon be measured in years,” they warn.
But the piece doesn’t merely diagnose the problem—it offers a prescription. Drawing on successful examples from other states, the authors show how Texas tackled a similar crisis by passing H.B. 14. That law allows applicants to hire licensed third-party reviewers if local regulators fail to act within 45 days. The results have been remarkable: housing permits surged and rents in Austin have started to fall. As the authors put it, “California should be so lucky.”
Other states are following suit. Tennessee, Florida, New Hampshire and Washington have all introduced variations on this third-party review process, leading to quicker approvals and better accountability. As Gray and Nosek explain, third-party reviewers actually strengthen consumer protections: unlike public officials who enjoy sovereign immunity, these licensed professionals are legally liable if they make mistakes.
Importantly, the authors caution that permit reform is necessary but not sufficient. Without parallel zoning reforms, the risk remains that only luxury mansions will rise from the ashes, not the diverse, accessible communities Los Angeles so desperately needs. “The alternative—outside developers rebuilding a bunch of mansions—might be better than barren lots, but not by much,” they write.
In the end, their argument is straightforward but powerful: Californians have waited long enough. “In survey after survey, Americans tell pollsters that they want simpler, faster permitting. At least in California, there will never be a better time to give it to them.”
Clear-eyed, practical and urgent, this article is essential reading for anyone serious about solving housing shortages—not just in Southern California, but across the country. I highly recommend it.
