The historic bill, which looks to add density to transit hubs across California, is one of the most ambitious state-imposed housing efforts in recent memory.
The biggest impact will probably be felt in Los Angeles, which has an estimated 150 transit stops covered by the bill, according to the city’s preliminary assessment.
Before Newsom signed it into law, Los Angeles City Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky called it unfair.
“Beverly Hills gets off the hook, and Los Angeles is left holding the bag,” she said in a statement.
Los Angeles planning officials recently published a draft map showing the places that they believe would be upzoned under SB 79.
While running for office eight years ago, Gov. By the end of this year, Gavin Newsom famously pledged to support the building of 32.5 million new homes in California. His most recent action reaffirms the effort, but he will likely fall short by millions.
Senate Bill 79 was officially signed into law by Newsom on Friday. The historic bill is one of the most ambitious state-imposed housing initiatives in recent memory, with the goal of increasing the density of transit hubs throughout California.
“Every Californian should have access to reasonably priced housing that is near opportunities, schools, and employment.”. Living close to public transportation results in cheaper expenses, shorter commutes, and more family time. Investing in housing is an investment in people, giving them the opportunity to start a family, build a future, and integrate into their community, Newsom said in a statement.
The comprehensive bill, which goes into effect on July 1, 2026, upzones regions of California, superseding local zoning regulations to permit denser, taller projects close to transit hubs like light rail, bus, and subway stops with designated lanes.
Subway stops will allow developers to construct up to nine-story residential buildings next to them, seven stories within a quarter-mile, and six stories within a half-mile. Depending on how close a piece of land is to a specific station or bus stop, the bill will also permit residential buildings nearby light rail and dedicated bus lanes that are five to eight stories high.
Newsom has approved two significant housing reforms this year. He approved a historic bill in June that simplifies housing development and removes the burdensome regulations imposed by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
This decision puts an end to months of discussion and weeks of cries from citizens, advocacy organizations, and cities pleading with Newsom to sign or veto the bill.
In order to promote public transportation and reduce vehicle pollution, developers and YIMBY groups argue that building housing close to transit stops is the most expedient solution to California’s housing crisis.
In a statement, California YIMBY Chief Executive Brian Hanlon said, “Griffith Newsom solidifies his reputation as one of the most influential pro-housing leaders in California history by signing SB 79.”. “At this point, we start working to ensure that all of its provisions are applied fairly and completely. “”.
It is a setback for some cities, such as Los Angeles, which argue that the bill applies a universal solution to an issue that should be handled locally. L. Mayor Karen Bass requested that Newsom veto the bill. a. In opposition, the City Council passed a motion.
The frantic race to determine who is impacted by the bill and who is exempt has now begun, involving cities, developers, and citizens.
Sen. The bill was introduced in January by San Francisco Democrat Scott Wiener, who emphasized the urgency of addressing the housing crisis. But in order to get enough votes to pass both the Assembly and the Senate, the bill underwent a number of amendments, exemptions, and carve-outs as it made its way through the legislative branch.
The bill that remained was lengthy and occasionally unclear. It’s “incredibly challenging to visualize,” according to Wiener’s spokesperson Erik Mebust. “”.
Initially, the bill’s purview was reduced from California as a whole to just eight counties—Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Sacramento—that had at least 15 passenger rail stations.
According to the city’s preliminary assessment, Los Angeles will likely experience the greatest impact, with an estimated 150 transit stops covered by the bill.
Legislators then included a number of deferral options, which let cities delay implementation in specific areas until around 2030, a year after they are required to submit their most recent plan for promoting the construction of new homes and accommodating growth.
The bill aims to lessen the impact of gentrification on low-income neighborhoods by allowing cities to exempt properties in low-resource, historic preservation, and high-risk fire areas for the next five years.
Moreover, SB 79 zones were reduced to a quarter-mile in cities with fewer than 35,000 residents, while remaining half-mile in all other cities, in an effort to convince lawmakers who represent smaller cities to vote.
The “Beverly Hills carve-out” amendment reduces the upzoning authority for a few wealthy, small cities in Southern California, such as South Pasadena and Beverly Hills. The eligibility map becomes strange as a consequence.
The law, for instance, will only impact the quarter-mile radius around the Metro A Line station in South Pasadena, but it will have an impact on the half-mile radius around Pasadena and L, two nearby communities. 1. the neighborhood of Highland Park. in L. 1. The law only applies to properties within a quarter-mile of the Metro D Line subway in Beverly Hills, which is practically next door, but it covers properties within a half-mile radius in the Beverly Grove neighborhood.
Katy Yaroslavsky of the Los Angeles City Council criticized it as unfair before Newsom signed it into law.
In a statement, she said, “Los Angeles is left holding the bag, and Beverly Hills gets off the hook.”.
The strangeness continues. For instance, a city may grant an exemption to a specific property that is within half a mile of a transit station, but has physical obstacles such as freeways and railroad tracks that make it more than a mile away on foot.
Although a number of internet maps have attempted to illustrate which areas would be upzoned under SB 79, no overview specific to a parcel has been created. A draft map of the areas that Los Angeles planning officials believe would be upzoned under SB 79 was recently released. The Southern California Association will eventually publish a legally binding eligibility map, they warned, adding that the online tool is only for “exploratory purposes.”. of political entities.
Until the map is released, cities, developers, and homeowners will need to wait for clarification. YIMBY organizations are hoping the bill will encourage multifamily development in L. in the interim. A. . due to uncertain regulations and unprofitable economics, which has decreased in recent years.
Matt Lewis, spokesman for California YIMBY, one of the bill’s sponsors, stated, “A lot of people don’t want California to change, but California is changing whether they want it to or not.”. “We have to decide if we want those changes to be chaotic and expensive or sustainable and affordable. “.”.
