Greenbelt Alliance Backs SB 79 to Boost Housing Near Transit in California

Screenshot from YouTube broadcast of March’s press conference via California Yimby

By Vanguard Staff

SACRAMENTO — Greenbelt Alliance is throwing its weight behind Senate Bill 79, the Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act, as the measure advances to the Assembly floor. The group has positioned the legislation, authored by Sen. Scott Wiener, as a critical tool for addressing California’s housing shortage while steering growth away from wildfire- and flood-prone areas.

Greenbelt Alliance announced earlier this year that it was co-sponsoring the bill along with California YIMBY, SPUR, Streets for All, and the Bay Area Council. The coalition has underscored that SB 79 would make it easier and faster to build new homes near major transit stops, including BART, Caltrain, and bus rapid transit corridors. At the Daly City BART station in March, the group stood alongside Wiener as the proposal was rolled out to the public.

Jordan Grimes, Greenbelt Alliance’s State and Regional Resilience Manager, said the measure addresses multiple crises at once. “This reduces the benefits to clean air and water that our open spaces provide and means dramatic increases in GHG emissions from super-commutes, as well as putting people directly in harm’s way — in areas with severe climate hazards like wildfires, floods, and extreme heat,” Grimes said. “SB 79 will make it easier and faster to build new housing around transit in our existing communities, helping to reverse those trends and create a more affordable and resilient California.”

The bill proposes a tiered zoning framework around transit hubs that allows mid-rise apartments and greater density near the highest quality transit stations. It ties the allowable size of developments to the frequency and capacity of the system itself, permitting taller buildings near heavy rail and smaller increases around lower-capacity lines. Projects within those zones would also qualify for permit streamlining to cut down on delays.

Another key component allows transit agencies to exercise authority over zoning of their own land, opening the door for them to generate revenue and boost ridership by building housing directly on underutilized properties. Supporters argue that empowering agencies to take this step is crucial at a time when many are facing financial shortfalls.

Greenbelt Alliance has highlighted the climate dimension of the legislation, pointing to the state’s history of sprawl development that has both worsened the affordability crisis and pushed families into high-risk areas. By directing housing growth into existing communities near transit, the group argues SB 79 can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, cut down on super-commutes, and protect natural and working lands.

For Wiener, the bill represents an evolution of his earlier efforts to tackle exclusionary zoning. He has described SB 79 as a “nuanced and surgical” approach focused on major transit hubs rather than blanket statewide upzoning. “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,” Wiener said.

The legislation has advanced steadily through the Capitol. It passed the Senate in June by a 21-13 vote, moved through Assembly policy committees during the summer, and survived the Assembly Appropriations Committee in late August. It is now eligible for a final Assembly floor vote before the mid-September deadline.

Housing and environmental advocates have consistently framed the bill as a landmark step. California YIMBY’s Brian Hanlon called its advancement “a landmark moment … bringing us one big step closer to making California more affordable for everyone.” SPUR policy director Michael Lane added that the bill’s provisions are modest compared to fears of overdevelopment. “These are not skyscrapers that we are asking for,” Lane said, stressing that small- to mid-rise density is enough to strengthen transit ridership and expand housing access.

Opposition has also surfaced, particularly from some city leaders and neighborhood groups who warn that the measure undermines local land-use authority. Geoffrey Hueter of Neighbors for a Better San Diego argued that SB 79’s definition of transit proximity could open the door for large-scale projects in areas that lack robust service. Los Angeles Councilmember Imelda Padilla criticized the bill on a podcast appearance, saying that allowing seven-story buildings near transit was “an insult to everyone who voted for the individual who they believe is going to help grow … their communities as they would like them to be.”

Despite those critiques, Wiener has insisted that SB 79 still allows for design standards and community input, even as it establishes uniform state requirements to address what he and his allies describe as a persistent failure of local governments to plan for enough housing.

Greenbelt Alliance has continued to frame the stakes in urgent terms. With housing costs rising, wildfires and floods worsening, and transit agencies under pressure, the group argues that California can no longer afford fragmented approaches. Directing housing toward infill, they say, is both a housing solution and a climate solution — and SB 79 is the vehicle to get there.

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