Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a law allowing for increased housing density near major public transit stations, triggering a battle between pro-housing advocates and residents opposed to the North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit project.
California’s 2025 legislative session delivered meaningful progress on housing, but mounting regulatory and cost barriers continue to undermine the state’s competitiveness, according to Orange County Business Council President and CEO Jeffrey Ball.
Senate Bill 79, authored by Senator Scott Wiener, has passed the California Legislature and is now headed to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk, and aims to expand access to affordable housing by legalizing midrise, multifamily housing near major transit stops while protecting rent-stabilized apartments.
California lawmakers passed two landmark housing bills, SB 79 and CEQA reform, to address the state’s housing crisis, but their impact remains to be seen due to structural realities and local political resistance.
The San Francisco Chronicle editorial board has called on California lawmakers to take meaningful action on housing, supporting Senate Bill 79, which would require local governments to approve mid-rise apartment buildings near transit stops, and warning that the state’s reluctance to build more homes threatens its long-term political clout in Washington.
California’s Senate Bill 79, which would allow for more apartment buildings near public transit stops, is one step closer to becoming law after the author struck a deal with the State Building and Construction Trades Council, who agreed to drop their opposition in exchange for an amendment that would require some projects to hire union workers.
Greenbelt Alliance is supporting Senate Bill 79, the Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act, which would make it easier and faster to build new homes near major transit stops, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create a more affordable and resilient California.
Tom Steyer is urging California lawmakers and residents to pass Senate Bill 79, which would allow more mid-rise apartments near public transportation, cut through red tape for projects built on transit land, and require accountability measures to ensure housing targets are met, in order to address the state’s housing crisis.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee has endorsed Senate Bill 79, legislation that would legalize multifamily housing near major transit stops across California, in order to address the Bay Area’s escalating housing crisis, expand affordability, and advance California’s climate goals.
SB 79, authored by Sen. Scott Wiener, would require cities to allow more housing near transit stops, including mid-rise apartments within a half-mile of rail stations and frequent bus lines, in order to lower housing costs and align state transit investments with affordable housing.
California YIMBY’s Senate Bill 79, authored by Sen. Scott Wiener, has passed the Assembly Local Government Committee and is now awaiting further action on the Assembly floor, aiming to address California’s severe housing shortage by allowing more residential development near public transit.
California is making progress in addressing its housing crisis with the passage of Senate Bill 79 and efforts to reform the California Environmental Quality Act, but the cost of building affordable housing remains a major obstacle.
California YIMBY leaders Nolan Gray and Brooke Pritchard discussed the state’s housing crisis, the need for statewide solutions, and the potential of Senate Bill 79 to promote dense housing near high-quality transit hubs and limit urban sprawl.
SB 79, the Abundant & Affordable Homes Near Transit Act, has been passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee and is now moving to the Senate floor, aiming to increase housing supply, lower family housing costs, reduce reliance on cars, and support the state’s climate goals.