Worldwide: Construction & Planning

On June 2, 2026, the residents of Monterey Park, California, used their ballots to overwhelmingly oppose the prospect of a data center project ever being constructed in their city.

California Senate Bill 79 takes effect July 1, 2026, requiring cities to facilitate multifamily housing development near major transit stops through increased height and density standards.

California's housing reforms have given developers new leverage, but they have not eliminated the legal and economic barriers to building homes.

Idaho's 2026 fire season brings heightened wildfire risk due to below-normal snowpack, early melt, and drought conditions. Developers face a complex regulatory landscape where wildfire readiness affects site selection, building materials, emergency access, insurance availability, and long-term project feasibility. Understanding how to navigate fire district requirements, subdivision ordinances, and insurance constraints before breaking ground can determine whether a development project succeeds or stalls.

Joseph Haney and Ben Rubin explore the landmark Sheetz v. County of El Dorado case and its potential to transform housing affordability across the United States. The discussion examines how this critical legal decision intersects with development impact fees and local government regulations. Discover how judicial interpretation of land use law could fundamentally alter the economics of residential construction nationwide.

The District of Columbia enforces strict regulations on tree removal based on size classifications that determine whether property owners can remove trees at all.

Maryland's new Housing Certainty Act fundamentally changes how residential development projects are approved and protected, establishing vested rights for developers and delaying fee collection until construction completion.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is seeking stakeholder input on the upcoming renewal of its Stormwater Construction General Permit, which governs discharge from construction activities across the state. With the current permit set to expire in March 2028, TCEQ is engaging stakeholders early in the drafting process to gather feedback that could significantly impact design requirements, compliance obligations, and operational costs for construction projects disturbing one or more acres of land.

Construction projects often involve verbal directives that deviate from plans and specifications, creating significant liability risks for subcontractors when defects emerge years later. Without written documentation of field instructions and approvals, subcontractors may find themselves defending claims for work they performed exactly as directed, facing disputes where memory and credibility become the only evidence.