Governor Gavin Newsom is championing a new legislative push to circumvent environmental regulations for a Santa Monica housing development. The project, featuring designs by the late Frank Gehry, is owned by Jeff Worthe, a significant donor to the Governor.

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The $274,000 link between Jeff Worthe and Gavin Newsom

The political connection between developer Jeff Worthe and Governor Gavin Newsom is at the cetner of a new legislative controversy. According to reporting from CalMatters,Worthe and his wife have contributed more than $274,000 to Newsom’s political campaigns. This financial relationship is further complicated by the fact that Newsom has appointed Worthe to several state positions, including the California Privacy Protection Agency Board and the California High-Speed Rail Authority.

A legislative carve-out tied to a 2028 deadline

A proposed legislative measure would grant a specific environmental exemption for the Frank Gehry-designed project in Santa Monica. As the report indicates, the draft proposal would allow the development to bypass state coastal environmental regulations unless the city of Santa Monica adopts its own land use policies by January 1, 2028. This mechanism comes after previous approvals from both the Santa Monica City Council and the California Coastal Commission were allowed to lapse.

Assemblymembers Bloom and Muratsuchi challenge the proposal

Local Democratic lawmakers, including Assemblymembers Richard Bloom and Al Muratsuchi, have voiced strong opposition to the measure. Assemblymember Richard Bloom, who represents Santa Monica, argues that the proposal undermines his own legislative efforts to set a firm deadline for the city's land use planning. similarly,Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi of El Segundo warns that the proposal creates a dangerous incentive for developers to stall local government action in order to secure regulatory relief.

Environmentalists flag Newsom’s coastal policy contradictions

Environmental advocates are highlighting a potential contradiction in Governor Newsom's stance on coastal protections. While the Governor has frequently criticized Donald Trump for seeking to weaken environmental regulations,critics argue this last-minute push for a regulatory carve-out sets a precedent for wealthy developers to override the same protections . environmental groups noted that they successfully blocked similar attempts to bypass coastal rules in May and June.

Why did the Coastal Commission approvals lapse?

Several critical details regarding the Santa Monica project and its regulatory history remain unverified. While it is known that the California Coastal Commission and the Santa Monica City Council had previously approved the development, the specific reasons why those approvals lapsed have not been clarified. Additionally, while Governor Newsom claimed to have received "healthy feedback" from a state lawmaker regarding the proposal, the identity of this individual and the exact nature of their feedback remain unknown.