The Pandemic Is Exacerbating CA Regulatory Hurdles

The pandemic is exacerbating California’s regulatory development hurdles. California already has some of the strictest construction regulations in the country. During the pandemic, they have gotten worse. In addition to new health and safety guidelines, the pandemic has also delayed the entitlement and permit process for development.

“COVID-19 has introduced another level of complexity and uncertainty into a market that was already challenging to navigate,” Sonnet Hui, general manager and VP of Project Management Advisors, tells GlobeSt.com. “The permitting and approval process has stretched out because you can’t have the face-to-face meetings. You can’t go talk to the planning department to get clarification or direction like you would in the past. Those local departments are spread thin, trying to navigate a new reality. It’s harder to get their attention.”