On October 10, 2025, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a significant housing overhaul by approving Senate Bill 79, which rewrites zoning rules in California’s largest metro areas to enable more housing near transit. The law specifically targets areas within half a mile of major rail, subway, and bus rapid transit stops, allowing developers to build much denser housing than previous local zoning allowed. Buildings immediately adjacent to these transit hubs can rise up to nine stories, with allowable heights decreasing with distance.
The bill reflects years of effort by housing advocates and lawmakers to loosen restrictive zoning that has limited housing supply, particularly in high-demand areas. It also builds on earlier housing policy changes in 2025 that eased environmental review requirements and sped up approval processes for certain types of housing. Supporters, including pro-housing groups, call the law transformative and necessary to tackle California’s housing shortage. Critics, including some local leaders and neighborhood groups, argue it weakens community input and local planning control.
See full article here: https://calmatters.org/housing/2025/10/newsom-signs-massive-california-housing-overhaul/
