Published August 21, 2026

SB 79 Affecting All of Los Angeles County

Written by Elizabeth Alligood

Modern apartment building near a public transit station, illustrating transit-oriented development under California SB 79.

SB 79-The Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act

Here is another bill that you might not be aware of that will affect All of Los Angeles County...

And if you're in the South Bay you may want to listen up...

SB79 known as the Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act, overrides local zoning limitations to allow higher density and height for multi-family residential developments within ½ a mile of qualifying public transits.

This bill recently took effect on July 1st.

The heaviest impact centers around the C Line Metro stations like Redondo Beach Marine Ave Station, Douglas, and El Segundo, as well as major bus routes along corridors like Hawthorne Blvd, Sepulveda Blvd, and Pacific Coast Highway.

Commercial, mixed-use, or multi-family residential parcels within 0.25 to 0.5 miles of these stops are automatically eligible for increased state-mandated height, floor area ratio, and density standards, bypassing local city limits.
Developers building within designated transit-oriented development (TOD) zones can build taller multi-family structures (ranging up to multi-story developments depending on proximity and transit tier) without needing local variance approvals.
SB 79 strips away local parking minimums near qualifying transit stops, allowing developers to build more units without dedicated multi-level parking garages.

So what does this all mean? For South Bay homeowners and buyers, SB 79 means single-family neighborhoods situated away from transit corridors remain largely intact, but commercial arterial streets and light rail hubs will see accelerated multi-family construction, increased density, and long-term changes to local traffic patterns over the next several years. Also SB 79 projects require minimum affordability standards (allocating a percentage of units to low-income housing) and protect against the demolition of existing rent-stabilized multi-family housing.

If you'd like to learn more about SB 79, you can find it right here at:

SB 79 Transit-Oriented Development | California Department of Housing and Community Development

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach us any time.

Elizabeth Alligood

(I am a licensed real estate professional in California DRE02023166 (DRE #01234567 First Team RE) and Oregon LIC:201253127 (License #123456789 Realty First). This post is for general educational and market discussion purposes only and does not constitute formal lending, legal, or financial advice. Equal Housing Opportunity).

Elizabeth Alligood

Founder | Real Estate Advisor | South Bay & Oregon Luxury Real Estate Advisory | Elizabeth Alligood & Associates

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