California plan would streamline housing laws for colleges

By JANIE HAR
Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California Sen. Scott Wiener is proposing legislation that would exempt the state’s public colleges and universities from an environmental review process that often slows construction. He says the California Environmental Quality Act has been abused by residents who want to block construction of badly needed housing at the University of California’s Berkeley campus. UC has asked the state Supreme Court to block a judge’s order capping student enrollment there. Save Berkeley’s Neighborhoods filed a lawsuit saying the university’s unchecked student growth is ruining the city’s quality of life. Wiener’s legislation would apply to on-campus housing projects statewide.