(KRON) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday signed a bill into law intended to streamline the building of more housing near public transit on a statewide basis. The bill, Senate Bill 79 (SB79), was introduced by State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco).
In a news release Friday, Wiener’s office described SB79 as a “landmark” bill that “tackles the root causes of California’s affordability crisis by allowing more homes to be built near major public transportation stops.”
“Governor Newsom signed SB 79, my bill allowing more housing near public transit — rail, subway, rapid bus,” said Wiener Friday in a post on Reddit. “It’s a huge step for housing and affordability in California.”
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The bill, Wiener went on to say, will “create more homes in the most sustainable locations,” while strengthening transit and reducing carbon emissions.
“Thank you, Governor & huge thanks to our entire amazing coalition,” Wiener said. “It took 8 years of hard work to get this done.”
In this Jan. 21, 2020, file photo, state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, speaks at a news conference in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)
“California is making historic strides today at Gov. Gavin Newsom signs SB79 — streamlining the building of more housing all across the Golden State,” Newsom’s press office tweeted.
However, the bill has drawn criticism along the way with the Los Angeles City Council voting to oppose it back in August. Opponents have branded the bill as a “one size fits all” solution that would lead to zoning changes that could alter single-family communities, forcing residents into competition with developers.
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Newsom’s office, in a tweet, addressed those concerns, writing, “No, it does not supersede local control as some have falsely claimed. Not, it is not one-size fits all. And no, this is not some ‘land-grab’ by the state.”
“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,” said Wiener, who has tried to pass similar legislation on two previous occasions. “In California we talk a lot about where we don’t want to build homes, but rarely about where we do — until now.”
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