Breaking news out of Sacramento: Senate Bill 79, the Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act (Wiener), just PASSED, after clearing the Assembly floor vote—with 41-17 on Thursday evening—and the “concurrence” Senate vote— with 21-8 this Friday. Now, it is on to Governor Newsom’s desk!
This is a monumental win and a watershed moment for realistic solutions for our housing and climate crises.
This landmark piece of legislation supports the creation of more affordable homes near major transit stops, such as BART stations or the San Diego Trolley.
Our state needs to build a lot more housing to solve our crushing affordability challenges, and we need it in the right places. By enabling the construction of thousands of new multifamily homes in the most sustainable places to build—within existing communities near major public transit stops—we can protect critical species and habitat, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and ensure every Californian has an affordable place to call home.
We are proud to co-sponsor this bill by Senator Scott Wiener, alongside so many housing, environmental, and transit advocates across California. This moment would not have been possible without the articulation, campaigning, outreach, and education from our coalition.
Thank you to all the advocates, organizers, and legislators who supported the vision of SB 79!
Why It Matters
We are at a moment of converging crises: with rising housing costs and worsening wildfires and floods, our homes and livelihoods face new and increasingly difficult challenges.
SB 79 meets these challenges head-on by supporting more housing in our existing communities.
This landmark legislation will support the creation of more affordable housing near major transit stops, such as BART stations or the San Diego Trolley.
So, what makes this bill so impactful? The Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act will:
- Allow new infill housing by major transit stops—like train and bus rapid transit;
- Guide growth away from areas at risk of climate hazards like wildfires and floods, which have increasingly put families in harm’s way;
- Protect natural and working lands from development;
- And support more public transit usage, reducing the need for cars and associated greenhouse gas emissions.
This is why Greenbelt Alliance is fighting so hard to pass SB 79, as a co-sponsor of this bill. We believe that directing housing development away from sprawl and towards infill is an essential housing and climate solution.
Working with a large coalition of environmental, housing, and transit advocates, Greenbelt Alliance is fostering a new wave of climate action through smart land-use policy. We hope you can join our movement!
Written in collaboration with Andrew Ha, Regional and State Associate.
