SB 79 passed amid debate over housing affordability versus neighborhood preservation.
California legislators on Sept. 12 approved a measure to expand apartment construction near public transportation stops, overriding local regulations in a bid to combat a shortage of housing and soaring home prices.
The proposal, known as SB 79, squeaked through the state Senate with bipartisan backing after tense debates, marking a win for advocates pushing denser urban development, though opponents argued the measure would lead to buildings in quiet residential neighborhoods.
Authored by state Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat, the legislation permits buildings nine floors high near high-transit rail and bus lines across the state. It would also streamline approvals and bypass certain local codes.
Wiener has framed the plan as essential for easing the affordability pressures that have driven many residents out of California. Opponents have argued the measure would lead to the construction of buildings in areas zoned for single-family homes, including quiet residential neighborhoods.
The vote in the state Senate came down to the wire, passing 21-8 with support from state Sen. Shannon Grove, a Republican from Bakersfield, who provided the pivotal yes after Laura Richardson, a Democratic colleague from the Los Angeles area, flipped her position to opposing the measure. On Sept. 11, the Assembly had endorsed the measure on a 41–17 tally, reflecting deep divisions even within the Democratic majority that controls both chambers.
Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur, a Democrat from the Los Angeles area, strongly opposed SB 79, saying it would significantly reshape neighborhoods in his district without any input from the city or residents.
“This blunt, one-size-fits-all Bill will not work for a district like mine and will have harmful impacts for the communities that I represent,” Zbur said during the hearing on Sept. 11.
Supporters hailed the outcome as a breakthrough in an eight-year campaign to loosen building rules near busy transit lines. Brian Hanlon, chief executive of the pro-development group California YIMBY, described it as fulfilling a core objective: enabling apartments and condominiums close to train platforms.
“We won many victories over the past eight years, but the dream of passing a robust, transit-oriented development program has long eluded us, until now,” Hanlon said in a statement following the decision.
