BERKELEY — California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he'll work this year to reform a landmark state environmental law that he says has been weaponized by wealthy homeowners to block badly-needed housing for students at the University of California, Berkeley.
Newsom's comments over the weekend followed a state appeals court ruling that found the University of California "failed to assess potential noise impacts from loud student parties in residential neighborhoods near the campus" as required by the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, when it planned new housing near the university.
The 1st District Court of Appeals' ruling Friday could delay the building of a complex at Berkeley's historic People's Park, which is owned by the University of California, Berkeley, for years or even decades, Newsom said.
The housing complex would accommodate about 1,100 UC Berkeley students and 125 formerly homeless people. Part of the park would be set aside to commemorate its significance in the civil rights movement, university officials have said.
University officials said in a statement Monday they were "dismayed" by the decision and planned to file an appeal with the California Supreme Court, adding that their commitment to building the People's Park project "is unwavering."
The university called the appeals court decision "unprecedented and dangerous" because it could prevent colleges and universities across California from building student housing.
The project has faced opposition...
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