California Housing Bill Squeaks Through Legislature in Tight Vote

SB 79 passed amid debate over housing affordability versus neighborhood preservation.
California Housing Bill Squeaks Through Legislature in Tight Vote
Homes under construction at a new housing development in Richmond, Calif., on July 1, 2025. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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California legislators have approved a measure to expand apartment construction near public transportation stops, overriding local regulations in a bid to combat a housing shortage and soaring home prices.

The proposal, known as SB 79, squeaked through the California Senate on Sept. 12 with bipartisan backing after tense debates, marking a win for advocates pushing denser urban development, although opponents argued that the measure would lead to buildings in quiet residential neighborhoods.
Kimberly Hayek
Kimberly Hayek
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Kimberly Hayek is a reporter for The Epoch Times. She covers California news and has worked as an editor and on scene at the U.S.-Mexico border during the 2018 migrant caravan crisis.