17921.12.
(a) No later than December 31, 2026, the Department of Housing and Community Development shall convene a working group, with membership including, but not limited to, the California Building Standards Commission, State Fire Marshal, Division of the State Architect, Energy Commission, and other stakeholders, to research and consider identifying and recommending amendments to state building standards allowing residential developments of between 3 and 10 units to be built under the requirements of the California Residential Code (Part 2.5 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations), and any necessary modifications to maintain health and safety standards for the developments. Each entity shall provide input relative to its area of expertise and oversight.(b) No later than December 31, 2027, the department shall provide a one-time report of its findings to the Legislature in the annual report required by Section 50408.
(c) (1) If the working group identifies and recommends amendments to building standards in the report described in subdivision (b), the Department of Housing and Community Development and other state agencies within the working group with authority to propose adoption of building standards shall research, develop, and consider proposing for adoption by the California Building Standards Commission such standards for the next triennial update of the California Building Standards Code (Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations) that occurs on or after January 1, 2027.
(2) For the purposes of this subdivision, the Department of Housing and Community Development may exceed the scope and application of the International Residential Code as referenced in Section 17922 to allow residential developments of between 3 and 10 units to be designed and constructed under the requirements of the California Residential Code (Part 2.5 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations).