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Historic Preservation in the Era of Housing Reform

Thursday, November 13th & 20th | 9am-1pm Pacific

Join the California Preservation Foundation for Housing Bootcamp 2025, a two-part, in-depth exploration of California’s evolving housing laws and their implications for local planning and preservation practice. This program will clarify what the state’s major housing statutes—including the Housing Accountability Act, Density Bonus Law, SB 9, SB 35, and AB 130—mean for jurisdictions, project review, and environmental compliance.

Attendees will gain a grounded understanding of how these laws interact with CEQA, zoning, and preservation ordinances, and where they alter or limit local authority. Presentations will break down complex legislative requirements into plain language, highlighting how the law defines “housing development projects,” what qualifies as ministerial approval, and if and how exemptions apply to historic resources.

The program concludes with a forward-looking discussion on how local governments and preservation staff can position themselves within this new legal framework—through clear communication, coordinated review, and proactive understanding of what these housing reforms mean for their communities.

Agenda

DAY 1 — Understanding California’s Housing Framework
I. Overview of California’s Housing Crisis 
II. Key Housing Development Project Laws 
Definition of a Housing Development Project, CEQA and Housing Development, Housing Accountability Act, Builder’s Remedy, Density Bonus Law 

DAY 2 — Additional Housing Laws & Protecting Historic Resources
III. Other Housing Laws, Exemptions and Limitations
SB 35, SB 9, SB 10, AB 2011, SB 6, AB 2097, ADUs (AB 130), Fire Rebuild Law
IV. New and Pending Legislation: AB 130, SB 131, and SB 79 
V. Protecting Eligible Historic Resources Under Current Laws

Learning Objectives

• Attendees will analyze how recent California housing laws—including the Housing Accountability Act, SB 9, SB 35/423, and AB 130—reshape local review authority and impact the protection of historic resources.
• Attendees will evaluate how CEQA exemptions, ministerial approvals, and streamlined processes affect environmental review and historic resource consideration.
• Attendees will identify proactive measures jurisdictions can take—such as inventory updates, designations, and design standards—to safeguard historic properties under new housing mandates.
• Attendees will develop strategies for interdepartmental coordination and project review that balance housing production goals with preservation objectives.

Speakers

• Susan Brandt-Hawley, Principal, Brandt-Hawley Law Group
  Susan is a leading advocate for public-interest preservation groups statewide, focusing on California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) issues. She has represented hundreds of groups in CEQA cases, establishing precedent in over 40 published opinions in the six districts of the California Court of Appeal and six cases at the California Supreme Court. A member and past president (2018-19) of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers, Susan received a 2001 California Lawyer of the Year (CLAY) award and has been recognized multiple times on the Daily Journal's list of California's "top women litigators." She frequently speaks on preservation law at forums for judges, lawyers, public agency staff, elected officials, and preservation advocates.
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• Sheri Bonstelle, Partner, Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP
  Sheri focuses on land use, zoning, environmental, litigation, and construction matters. She manages the entitlement process, representing clients before local and state agencies, and coordinating environmental reviews under CEQA and NEPA, while obtaining necessary permits under various environmental laws. Sheri negotiates development agreements, handles adaptive reuse projects in Los Angeles, and advocates for signage rights. She also represents clients in land use and real estate litigation, including CEQA cases and First Amendment protections. With a background as a licensed architect, Sheri has worked on large public projects and is pursuing LEED certification.
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• Neill Brower, Partner, Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP
  Land use Neill Brower is a land use and environmental attorney representing clients across California in permitting, CEQA compliance, and housing law. His work spans local planning and zoning, the Subdivision Map Act, and density bonus laws, with a focus on navigating complex environmental review processes and state housing regulations. Neill advises both public agencies and private clients on projects ranging from single-family homes to major mixed-use developments. Before entering law, Neill spent a decade managing environmental and urban planning documents, including environmental impact reports, general plan updates, and natural resource permits. His past projects include the UCLA, UC Riverside, and UC Santa Barbara Long-Range Development Plans, AT&T Park, and the Mission Bay Redevelopment Project. A former archaeologist, he also conducted cultural and historic resource studies across California.
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• Douglas Carstens, Partner, Carstens, Black & Minteer
  Doug is the Managing Partner of a small petitioners’ environmental law firm, Carstens Black & Minteer LLP, based in Redondo Beach and practicing throughout the state.  He graduated from Cornell University and UCLA Law School.  Prior to finishing law school, he served as an officer in the Navy and participated in preservation efforts for the Long Beach Naval Station.  His law firm primarily represents environmental and community groups, and much of the practice involves counseling and litigation under the California Environmental Quality Act and other environmental laws.  His firm helped bring about the public acquisition of now-public parklands in northeast Los Angeles, in the Rio De Los Angeles State Park, the State Historic Park in downtown Los Angeles, and additions to the Kenneth Hahn State Park in Baldwin Hills. He is President of the Board of Planning and Conservation League. 
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• Amanda Daams, Partner, Best Best & Krieger LLP
  Amanda specializes in CEQA, NEPA, and related environmental laws. She helps clients navigate complex land use issues and environmental documents, including impact reports, negative declarations, and CEQA exemptions. Amanda has extensive experience advising on large-scale projects such as general plan updates, residential, commercial, and mining projects, and handles cultural resources and environmental justice concerns. She also supports clients through the regulatory approval process, advising on permits and public review, and has successfully defended project approvals in court. Active in the Association of Environmental Professionals, Amanda serves as Chapter Director for the Inland Empire Chapter and is a graduate of Leadership Riverside.
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• Margarita Jerabek, PhD, Historic Resources Strategic Development Director, ESA
  Margarita manages technical studies for environmental compliance, develops preservation plans, and implements treatment projects for public and private clients across California and the U.S. With over 30 years of experience, she specializes in historic preservation, architectural history, art history, and historical archaeology. Margarita is a regional expert in Southern California architecture and has expertise in Visual Art, 19th-20th Century American Architecture, Modern and Contemporary Architecture, and Cultural Landscape. She holds a BA in art history from Oberlin College, an MA in architectural history and Certificate in Historic Preservation from the University of Virginia, and a PhD in art history from UCLA.
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• Amber Long, Founder, Long Historic Preservation Services
  Amber is the founder of Long Historic Preservation Services, a Santa Barbara County–based consultancy specializing in built environment services. Before founding the company in 2023, she spent 10 years working for environmental planning and cultural resources firms, as well as the County of Santa Barbara. Amber is passionate about the responsible management of historic resources and creative mitigation strategies that balance stakeholder needs. She has collaborated with state and local jurisdictions, the military, nonprofits, developers, and homeowners on projects of varying scales. Her experience includes peer review for local governments and expert witness testimony on CEQA and cultural resources. Amber managed the rehabilitation of the Sebastian Store in San Simeon and consults with Piedras Blancas Light Station on plans to reconstruct two historic Victorian homes. She holds a B.A. in political science and an M.A. in U.S. history from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and has lived on the Central Coast for over 20 years.
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Posted in: California Environmental Quality Act, Historic Integrity, Preservation Basics, Webinars, Workshops