Senator Scott Wiener has authored two key bills, SB 79 and SB 607, which aim to modernize California’s permitting and environmental review procedures to address its housing shortage and environmental protection challenges.
California’s Senate Housing Committee advanced SB 79, which would legalize mid-rise apartment buildings near public transit, while rejecting SB 677, which aimed to strengthen the state’s existing housing streamlining laws.
SB 79 aims to legalize multi-family housing near transit stops, including single-family zones, and streamline permitting, with critics arguing that it should prioritize affordable housing instead of luxury units.