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BUILDING A BRIGHTER FUTURE THROUGH BUILDING CODE ADVOCACY

Stand up for Common Sense Building Code

Standing Up for Common-Sense Building Codes in California

Last night, I had the opportunity to speak for eight minutes at the Shasta County Board of Supervisors meeting. It was a packed room, and while there’s always at least one loud voice who tries to stir things up, most folks listened with respect and genuine interest.

I spoke about what we’re all seeing across California — ordinary landowners, ranchers, and builders being buried under layers of codes and regulations that make it nearly impossible to live and build freely on our own land. The Code Relief Coalition exists because too many of these codes are written by people who have never built a fence post, framed a wall, or stood on a burned-out property trying to rebuild a life.

I reminded the board that we can protect our communities and prevent fire tragedies without strangling property rights. We can have safety, and we can have freedom — the two don’t have to be enemies. My message was simple: California’s rural communities deserve the right to rebuild, to provide for their families, and to live on their land without being treated like criminals for using their own judgment.

This was the first of many public meetings where CRC will continue to speak up. We’re building a coalition of landowners, tradespeople, and fire recovery workers who’ve seen firsthand how overregulation drives people off the land and inflates the cost of living beyond reason.

The response after my talk was encouraging. People are tired of feeling ignored, and they’re ready to stand together. Code Relief Coalition will keep showing up — county by county — until common sense makes its way back into California’s building laws.

— Luke Pearson

Founder, Code Relief Coalition

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Luke Pearson
Oct 8
1 min read

On October 7th, 2025, I attended the Shasta County Board of Supervisors meeting. I feel it was very successful. I gave them a bit of a history lesson on the International Code Council: when it started, why it started, and the connection with USAID, how it was funded, and how it now exists in 50 different countries. I would have liked to give them a better timeline on getting code changes through the ICC, which is a very lengthy process. I estimate it would take a minimum of seven years to get a code change through the ICC, so this is going to be a long and arduous process, very expensive. I directed them that a better move right now for our current situation was to try to change some local codes, such as bringing back the administrative permits so that you could build a barn on a piece of property where no home exists over 1,000 square feet. Modeling after Tehama County's farm exemption would be far more efficient than Shasta County's. I've built barns for 25 years in Shasta County, and I've only been able to get a farm exemption once.

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