By Casey Chapin, AIA, and Lance Collins, AIA
August 1, 2025
Today we had the opportunity to represent our chapter and the Architectural profession during a legislative visit with staff for California State Senate Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez.
Held as part of AIA California’s annual Legislative Day, the meeting provided a valuable forum to discuss how Architects are uniquely positioned to contribute to critical policy areas, particularly around housing production, adaptive reuse, and climate resilience.
We shared AIA California’s key 2025 legislative priorities, which included support for:
- AB 1341 (Hoover) – Tackling unlicensed practice of architecture by transferring enforcement responsibility to the Contractors’ State License Board.
- AB 1265 (Haney) – Extending the Historic Tax Credit to encourage adaptive reuse projects and affordable housing.
- AB 507 (Haney) – Streamlining adaptive reuse approvals to help increase California’s housing supply.
- AB 368 (Ward) – Promoting energy-efficient building design through the adoption of Passive House standards.
- AB 1, AB 818, AB 888 – A suite of bills supporting climate-smart disaster recovery and rebuilding efforts.
The discussion emphasized what many of us know firsthand: that Architects are not just designers – we are problem solvers. From affordable housing to sustainable design, we bring practical, implementable solutions rooted in real-world experience.
We extend our sincere thanks to Senator Gonzalez’s team for their time, and we look forward to continuing the conversation. As local architects and community members, we are eager to support policies that build a more resilient, equitable, and vibrant California.
Casey Chapin, AIA
Vice-President/President-Elect
Lance Collins, AIA
Director and AIA California Representative
The American Institute of Architects – Long Beach/South Bay Chapter