Gavin Newsom Finally Gets Serious About the California Housing Crisis

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two bills that scale back California Environmental Quality Act .

The bills limit local power to stop urban development, particularly housing, on environmental grounds.

Reform is not really a defeat for environmentalism, but it reflects a 21st-century understanding of the environmental movement.

Bob Greene : About a quarter of CEQA lawsuits target some form of housing development.

Greene: Construction unions have been among the most adept and powerful users of the law as a point of leverage.

He says they wield real power in Sacramento , and have been forthright about safety, higher-paying jobs in the construction industry.

Greene says the law has provided a sizable bargaining chip for unions.

Aaron Carroll : Unions may have made a new bet in California 's housing crisis.

He says they've opened the door to a construction boom that might create much more work for every construction worker.

Carroll: It will be interesting to see if other blue-state leaders follow in California ’s footsteps.