Sacramento Report: Rare Dem 'No' Vote on Housing Bill

State Sen. Catherine Blakespear bucked her party to oppose a bill related to a controversial housing law.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 4:31pm

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In a rare move, Democratic state Sen. Catherine Blakespear of Encinitas joined a handful of Senate Democrats and Republicans to vote against a bill that would make changes to a landmark housing law passed last year. Blakespear cited concerns over diminished local control as her reason for opposing the measure and the original housing law, SB 79, which makes it easier to build apartments near major transit stations.

Why it matters

The vote highlights the ongoing tension within the Democratic party over housing policy, with some lawmakers skeptical of developers and the pro-housing YIMBY movement, while others are pushing for sweeping changes to local zoning laws to address California's housing crisis. Blakespear's opposition to the bill, despite her generally pro-housing voting record, underscores the complexity of these debates at the state level.

The details

Senate Bill 677 would change the definitions of commuter rail and high frequency commuter rail in SB 79, the landmark housing law passed last year, so that more cities would be subject to the law's requirements. Blakespear, who has a history of opposing new housing development in her city of Encinitas, said the bill "goes too far" in diminishing local control over zoning decisions.

  • On Monday, the state Senate voted on SB 677.
  • Last year, Blakespear voted 'no' on 14 out of 2,161 bills, or less than 1% of the time.

The players

Catherine Blakespear

A Democratic state senator representing Encinitas who rarely votes 'no' on legislation but opposed a bill related to a controversial housing law.

Scott Wiener

A Democratic state senator from San Francisco who authored both SB 79 and SB 677, the bills related to the housing law.

Brian Jones

The Senate Minority Leader, who also voted against SB 677.

Todd Gloria

The mayor of San Diego, who strongly supported the original SB 79 housing law.

Chris Ward

A Democratic Assemblymember who has authored or supported numerous housing-related laws.

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What they’re saying

“I recognize that there's a lot of ambitious and aspirational housing bills, and Senator Wiener has proposed many of them. And this one goes too far.”

— Catherine Blakespear, State Senator (voiceofsandiego.org)

The takeaway

Blakespear's rare 'no' vote on the housing bill highlights the ongoing tensions within the Democratic party over how to address California's housing crisis, with some lawmakers prioritizing local control over zoning decisions while others push for sweeping statewide reforms. This debate is likely to continue as the state grapples with balancing the need for more housing with concerns over development and community impacts.