Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 79, the Abundant & Affordable Homes Near Transit Act, a major land-use reform aimed at promoting housing construction near rail and bus corridors.
“For too long, California has poured billions into transit without building the housing density needed for those systems to reach their potential,” Newsom wrote in his signing message. “SB 79 changes that.”
Authored by Senator Scott Wiener (D–San Francisco), the new law seeks to tackle the state’s chronic housing shortage by encouraging compact, transit-oriented development. The measure will:
- Upzone areas near transit: Allow buildings up to seven stories high within a quarter-mile of major rail or bus rapid transit stations, and up to four stories within a half-mile.
- Empower transit agencies: Permit agencies to set their own zoning standards for properties they own near rail and bus rapid transit stations.
- Streamline permitting: Expedite approval for housing projects located within a half-mile of major transit stops.
Wiener said the bill marks a turning point in how the state approaches land use and transportation planning in his own statement:
“In California, we talk a lot about where we don’t want to build homes, but rarely about where we do — until now,” Wiener said. “SB 79 unwinds decades of overly restrictive land-use policies that have driven housing costs to astronomical levels, forcing millions of people to move far away from jobs and transit, face massive commutes, or leave California entirely.”
The legislation reflects a broader push by state leaders to tie housing policy more closely to California’s climate and transportation goals. Advocates for denser development argue that building homes near public transit can reduce car dependency, lower emissions, and make transit investments more effective.
Still, local resistance remained strong. Outside of a few small cities on Los Angeles’ Westside, nearly every municipality that weighed in on the bill — including Los Angeles itself — opposed it. Critics said SB 79 undermines local control and could lead to inappropriate density in neighborhoods without adequate infrastructure.
Supporters counter that such concerns have been used for decades to block housing construction, worsening affordability and displacement pressures across the state.
For more of Streetsblog’s coverage of SB 79:
SB 79 Passes Assembly, Still Needs Senate “Concurrence” Before the Governor’s Desk, September 11
Politics Heat Up Around SB79-Dems Support, Los Angeles Opposes, August 29
Wiener’s Legislation to Upzone Near Transit Clears the Senate (Barely), June 5
Wiener’s Controversial Legislation to Upzone Near Transit Keeps Moving with One Major Change, May 12
Wiener Introduces Legislation to Increase Housing Density Near Transit, March 17
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