California Construction News staff writer
Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 79 and a package of related housing measures aimed at cutting red tape and accelerating housing approvals across California — despite opposition from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who warned the legislation could undermine local planning efforts.
The new laws are designed to streamline permitting, convert vacant commercial buildings into housing, and expand construction near public transit. Supporters say the measures will help tackle California’s long-standing housing shortage by making it easier to build affordable and workforce homes more quickly.
Senate Bill 79, authored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), imposes stricter accountability standards on local governments that fail to meet state housing targets and encourages development in transit-rich areas to reduce commutes and emissions.
“SB 79 is a historic step toward tackling the root cause of California’s affordability crisis — our profound shortage of homes and too few people having access to transit,” Wiener said in a statement. “In California, we talk a lot about where we don’t want to build homes, but rarely about where we do — until now.”
But Los Angeles city leaders voiced concern that the measure could limit community input and override local land-use authority. Bass formally urged Newsom to veto the bill, saying it “risks unintended consequences for many of Los Angeles’ diverse communities.” The L.A. City Council also voted 8–5 to oppose SB 79 unless amended to exempt cities with state-certified housing plans.
While Newsom and legislative supporters say the new framework will help ensure that housing is built “where it makes sense,” Bass and other local officials argue that the legislation could force projects into areas already under development pressure without adequate infrastructure or safeguards.
The housing package seeks to help the state meet its production goals by:
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Accelerating permitting and inspection timelines;
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Streamlining production of affordable and climate-friendly housing;
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Strengthening enforcement of state housing laws; and
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Encouraging transit-oriented development with support for electric-vehicle charging access.
State officials say the measures build on earlier reforms intended to make housing approvals faster and more predictable statewide.
