California Cities Weigh Options as New Housing Law Looms

Senate Bill 79 aims to boost housing near public transit, but local governments are navigating compliance in different ways.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 4:42am

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A serene, cinematic painting of a mid-rise apartment building in warm, golden light, capturing the quiet tension between state housing policies and community-level concerns.As California cities navigate new state housing laws, the delicate balance between state mandates and local priorities is on full display.Los Angeles Today

California cities are facing a critical deadline as they navigate how to respond to a new state law, Senate Bill 79, designed to increase housing near public transit. The law allows for the construction of mid-rise apartment buildings up to nine stories tall near train, subway, and bus stops. Cities across the state are now deciding whether to embrace the law's intent, create their own tailored plans, or delay implementation.

Why it matters

The varied responses from cities highlight a tension between state mandates and local control. While SB 79 aims to address California's housing shortage, cities are understandably seeking to balance these goals with their own community priorities and planning processes.

The details

Los Angeles recently voted to overhaul a portion of its zoning map, a move intended to buy the city more time for planning. This strategy leverages provisions within the law that allow transit-adjacent areas already permitting at least half of the housing required under SB 79 to delay changes until 2030. San Francisco is considering a different approach, proposing to exempt industrial areas and low-resource neighborhoods while increasing density in other areas to qualify for a delay until 2032.

  • Senate Bill 79 goes into effect on July 1, 2026.
  • Los Angeles City Council voted on its zoning map overhaul recently.
  • San Francisco is considering its plan to comply with SB 79 before the July 1 deadline.

The players

Senate Bill 79

A new California state law that allows for the construction of mid-rise apartment buildings up to nine stories tall near train, subway, and bus stops.

Los Angeles City Council

The governing body of the city of Los Angeles that voted to overhaul a portion of its zoning map to buy the city more time for planning in response to SB 79.

San Francisco

The city that is considering a different approach from Los Angeles, proposing to exempt industrial areas and low-resource neighborhoods while increasing density in other areas to qualify for a delay in implementing SB 79.

Governor Gavin Newsom

The governor of California who signed Senate Bill 79 into law on October 10, 2025.

Katy Yaroslavsky

A Los Angeles City Councilmember who stated that the city's vote 'adds meaningful housing capacity now and gives us time to decide where the rest of density should go within our own communities.'

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What they’re saying

“This vote 'adds meaningful housing capacity now and gives us time to decide where the rest of density should go within our own communities.'”

— Katy Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles City Councilmember

What’s next

Cities will either need to adopt their own plans that meet the state's density requirements, or accept SB 79 as written. Some cities may resist the law, though previous attempts to challenge similar state mandates have been unsuccessful.

The takeaway

California's cities are navigating a delicate balance between complying with the state's new housing law and preserving their own local priorities and planning processes. The varied approaches highlight the complexities involved in addressing the state's housing shortage while respecting community-level concerns.