Overview

• Developers will be allowed up to nine stories next to some heavy-rail stations, stepping down to seven stories within a quarter-mile and six within a half-mile, with lower tiers for light rail and bus rapid transit corridors.
• The law applies only to Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Santa Clara, Alameda, Sacramento, San Francisco and San Mateo counties, covering designated rail, ferry and bus rapid transit stops.
• SB 79 takes effect July 1, 2026, with cities and regional planners awaiting binding eligibility maps, including a Southern California Association of Governments map for Los Angeles.
• The statute overrides certain local zoning near qualified stops but includes deferrals and exemptions such as high fire-risk areas, historic districts and low-resource areas, plus options for alternative local plans.
• Supporters including Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Scott Wiener and YIMBY groups frame the law as a way to add housing and boost transit use, while opponents such as Los Angeles officials warn of lost local control and neighborhood impacts.