Cox, Castle & Nicholson and Bay Area Council Champion Legislation to Extend Key Brownfield Redevelopment Tool in California
LOS ANGELES, CA – October 8, 2025 – Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP, a leading full-service law firm specializing in real estate in the United States, in collaboration with the Bay Area Council, proudly announces that Assembly Bill 961 (AB 961)—a key piece of legislation they helped champion—has been signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom. The bill extends the California Land Reuse and Revitalization Act (CLRRA), a critical tool that Cox Castle attorneys have relied on for over two decades to help clients manage environmental risks associated with the redevelopment of brownfield sites.
The extension allows developers, public agencies, and communities to continue to rely on CLRRA's framework for liability relief, regulatory coordination, and cost recovery. Through legal expertise and collaboration, Cox Castle and the Bay Area Council played instrumental roles in securing the bill’s passage and ensuring continued support for sustainable land reuse in California.
Cox Castle attorneys played a central role in the original drafting and adoption of CLRRA in 2004 and have since remained at the forefront of its application. The firm has advised clients across the real estate industry on brownfield redevelopment projects throughout California and has completed more CLRRA agreements with regulatory agencies than any other law firm.
“AB 961 preserves a proven and effective pathway for safe, sustainable land reuse—ensuring it remains accessible to developers, communities, and environmental stakeholders across California,” said Robert Doty, Partner at Cox Castle. “We’re proud to have worked alongside the Bay Area Council to champion this important legislation.”
The Bay Area Council, a leading regional economic development organization, worked closely with Cox Castle to advance the bill’s passage, bringing together stakeholders from across the state to support the legislation.
“Cox Castle’s extensive expertise with CLRRA and land use more generally were of the utmost value in navigating complex policy through the legislative process and defending the track record of CLRRA,” said Louis Mirante, Senior Vice President of Public Policy for the Bay Area Council. “We are grateful for Cox Castle’s expertise and commitment to advancing this effort.”
The passage of AB 961 reflects Cox Castle’s long-standing commitment to helping its clients navigate complex environmental challenges and pursue sustainable redevelopment opportunities. The firm will continue to advise clients on the use of CLRRA as they transform former brownfields into productive spaces for California’s future.
About Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP
Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP was founded in Los Angeles in 1968, with the goal of providing superior and comprehensive legal services to businesses, institutions, and individuals in all aspects of the real estate, finance, and construction industries. Cox Castle is now one of the largest full-service law firms specializing in real estate in the United States, with more than 140 transactional and litigation attorneys in its Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Francisco offices.
The firm has substantial expertise in matters involving land and improved property acquisitions and dispositions; joint ventures; single and multifamily residential development; land use, entitlement and regulatory compliance (including coastal commission and condemnation); office, industrial, retail and mixed-use development, leasing and management; commercial lending and institutional investment; loan workouts and financial restructuring; construction; resort and hospitality; labor and employment; risk management and insurance; environmental compliance; renewable energy and natural resources; and tax and estate planning. For more information, visit www.coxcastle.com.
About the Bay Area Council
The Bay Area Council has been at the intersection of business and civic leadership, shaping the future of the Bay Area since 1945. Today, our vision is to make the Bay Area the best place to live and work. More than 330 of the largest employers in the region are members of the Bay Area Council and are committed to working with public and community leaders to keep the Bay Area the most innovative, globally competitive, inclusive, and sustainable region in the world. For more information, visit https://www.bayareacouncil.org/.
