By Vanguard Staff
SACRAMENTO, CA – Senator Scott Wiener’s Abundant & Affordable Homes Near Transit Act (SB 79), a major housing and climate bill, cleared a key hurdle this week after passing the Assembly Housing Committee on a 9-1 vote. The bill now heads to the Assembly Local Government Committee.
SB 79 would legalize more multi-family housing near public transit stations, including rail stops and bus rapid transit (BRT) lines, by establishing statewide zoning standards. The bill also allows development on land owned by local transit agencies, aiming to address California’s housing affordability crisis while supporting underfunded public transit systems and advancing climate goals.
“The disaster of our housing shortage demands powerful solutions, and today’s vote is a step toward providing one,” said Senator Wiener (D-San Francisco). “California urgently needs to build more homes to bring down costs, and building them near transit provides our public transportation systems with an urgently needed infusion of new riders.”
The legislation establishes a tiered system of zoning allowances based on proximity to and frequency of transit service. It would permit buildings up to seven stories immediately surrounding major transit hubs, with lesser height and density allowances extending outward up to half a mile. SB 79 applies only near high-capacity rail and BRT stops and excludes low-frequency bus stops.
The Assembly Housing Committee amended the bill before passage to increase affordability requirements, affirm local tenant protections, strengthen demolition restrictions, and set minimum density standards. Earlier amendments in the Senate also gave cities flexibility in where to apply new zoning and removed provisions related to light industrial zones and the Surplus Lands Act.
Supporters argue that California’s severe housing shortage is being exacerbated by exclusionary zoning laws that make it illegal to build multi-family housing near transit. As a result, the state’s transit systems are underutilized, while housing costs continue to rise and traffic and pollution worsen.
Transit-oriented development, they argue, presents a win-win solution. In addition to reducing car dependence and climate emissions, allowing more homes near transit can make public transportation more viable and financially sustainable. Several global transit systems, including in Hong Kong and Tokyo, rely on land development to support their operations.
“In California, many transit agencies are facing budget shortfalls and declining ridership. SB 79 offers a path forward that mirrors successful models from abroad,” said a spokesperson for California YIMBY, one of the bill’s sponsors.
Other sponsors include Streets for All, Greenbelt Alliance, SPUR, and the Bay Area Council. They cite similar legislation in other states: Colorado requires cities to allow 40 housing units per acre within a quarter mile of transit; Massachusetts mandates at least one multifamily district per city; and Utah requires 50 units per acre in designated transit zones.
Under SB 79, projects can also qualify for streamlined approval under Senate Bill 423 (Wiener, 2023) if they meet state requirements around affordability, labor, and environmental review. Cities may submit alternative TOD plans, subject to approval by the Department of Housing and Community Development.
The bill, first introduced in January 2025, has steadily advanced through the legislature. It cleared the Senate Housing Committee in April, passed the full Senate in early June, and won support from the Assembly Housing Committee this week. If enacted, it could become one of California’s most significant zoning reforms in years.
Advocates say SB 79 represents a critical step toward meeting the state’s housing production goals and achieving long-term climate resilience.
“California’s housing and transit systems are interconnected,” Senator Wiener said. “It’s time we start planning like it.”
