Los Angeles city officials are considering strategies to potentially delay full implementation of Senate Bill 79, a landmark housing law signed by Governor Newsom in the previous year. A report released last week details potential pathways for the city to navigate the new regulations.
Navigating SB 79: Potential Delays and Upzoning Options
The City of Los Angeles has over 100 transit oriented development zones established under SB 79, centered around bus and rail stops. However, the Planning Department has identified that the city could potentially delay the bill’s effectuation until 2030 for as much as 88 percent of eligible sites. Delays could be granted based on factors like potential climate change impacts, location in areas with limited opportunity and historic preservation concerns.
Certain transit hubs are currently ineligible for delayed implementation, including stops along the G Line in the San Fernando Valley (Tampa, Woodman, Valley College, Sepulveda, Reseda, Pierce College, Balboa), the E Line on the Westside (Westwood/Rancho Park and Expo/Sepulveda Station), the Glendale Metrolink station, the K Line’s Westchester/Veterans Station, and stops along the La Brea Avenue alignment of the K Line’s proposed northern extension.
The city is also exploring options to stall implementation citywide through upzoning. The Planning Department has proposed three options, each involving permitting redevelopment of single-family homes – a proposal previously considered and then removed from the Citywide Housing Incentive Program (CHIP) – and focusing on 55 “opportunity stations” in designated higher-opportunity census tracts.
Option 1 involves extending CHIP’s Corridor Transition incentives to single-family and low-density zones near 55 stations in Central and West Los Angeles, the South Valley, and parts of the Eastside. Option 2 would expand Transit Oriented Incentive Area benefits to rail lines, but not bus routes. Option 3 combines Option 1 with an expansion of TOIA incentives to all single-family parcels near all 5 opportunity station sites, and is described as the most aggressive approach.
All three options would require approval of a code amendment by the City Council and updates to the CHIP ordinance.
Los Angeles is not alone in grappling with the implementation of SB 79; neighboring cities like Beverly Hills are also navigating the law’s implications. State legislators have recently indicated openness to delaying the implementation deadline to provide jurisdictions with more time, and have initiated legislation to that effect.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SB 79?
SB 79 is a landmark housing bill signed into law by Governor Newsom that aims to expedite the construction of affordable housing by overriding local restrictions near transit stops.
Could the City of Los Angeles delay implementation of SB 79?
The City of Los Angeles could potentially delay effectuation of the bill until 2030 for up to 88 percent of eligible sites citywide, based on criteria such as climate change impacts and location in low-opportunity areas.
What are the three options the Planning Department has proposed for delaying implementation?
The three options involve expanding incentives for redevelopment, focusing on single-family homes near designated “opportunity stations.”
As Los Angeles considers these options, what role should community input play in shaping the future of housing development in the city?
