CA SB959

Establishes the Office of Permit Assistance within the Office of Planning and Research, located exclusively in Sacramento with no more than 4 personnel through 2013, to assist developers with state and local permit processes.

Requires the Office of Permit Assistance to develop guidelines for local agencies to establish expedited development permit processes, including components such as a single point of contact, consolidated project information forms, tracking systems, and expedited appeal processes.

Authorizes the Office of Permit Assistance to provide grants and technical assistance to cities and counties for establishing expedited permit processes; recipients must enact an ordinance adopting the expedited process within 10 months of receiving a grant.

Requires cities, counties, or city and counties with populations of 100,000 or more to designate an administrative entity as a single point of contact for applicants' commercial or industrial development projects upon request, and permits these entities to charge fees to defray costs.

Allows the Office of Permit Assistance to charge applicants fees not exceeding the reasonable cost of services provided, and authorizes the office to mediate disputes and call conferences to resolve questions regarding permit applications.