LA Advances SB 79 Plan to Build Housing Near Transit

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles City Council March 24 approved a phased approach to implementing Senate Bill 79 (SB 79), advancing a plan to increase housing near transit while allowing time for thoughtful planning and targeted reforms. 

The adopted framework, known as Option C1, expands the city’s corridor transition (CT) program across transit-oriented areas, allowing for new multifamily housing, including three- to four-story buildings, in higher and moderate opportunity areas, including neighborhoods currently zoned for single-family homes. At the same time, the city will delay full implementation in lower resource areas, high fire severity zones, and historic districts until 2030. The framework also directs the development of a citywide local alternative plan to take effect in 2030. 

This approach allows Los Angeles to implement state law while creating local flexibility to determine where additional housing should be located in alignment with state requirements. 

In addition, councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky introduced two motions that will now move through the committee process: 

• The first motion, seconded by councilmembers Hernandez and  Blumenfield, directs the Department of City Planning to reform and strengthen the corridor transition program to ensure that newly legalized housing types are financially feasible and actually get built. This includes potential updates to zoning rules such as floor area, height, and unit mix to support family-sized housing and missing middle development.
• The second motion, co-authored by councilmember Blumenfield and seconded by Council President Harris-Dawson, directs the Department of City Planning to develop an accelerated implementation framework for higher opportunity areas in advance of the citywide local alternative plan. This framework focuses on increasing density near transit corridors, with a graduated transition into surrounding neighborhoods, including those currently zoned for single-family homes.