California lawmakers will revisit polarizing transit density bill

For the second legislative session in a row, the California legislature is set to consider a bill that would allow dense development around transit stops in cities throughout the state.

The last bill, SB 827, died unceremoniously after a single committee hearing. But its author, Sen. Scott Wiener, vowed to revive the proposal, which would strip cities of the ability to bar apartments and condos through restrictive zoning rules in areas well-served by public transit.

True to his word, Wiener revealed a new version of the bill Tuesday.

“We must take bold steps now to address our severe housing crisis and reduce our carbon footprint,” Wiener said in a statement. “For too long we have created sprawl by artificially limiting the number of homes that are built near transit and job centers.”

Like its predecessor, the new bill, SB 50, would apply to areas within a half-mile of a major transit line. In these zones, new buildings would be permitted to rise at least four or five stories (depending on proximity to a stop), regardless of local zoning rules. Requirements that developers provide parking would also be relaxed or eliminated entirely.

Major additions to the new bill include key provisions explicitly aimed at preventing renter displacement and protecting communities from gentrification.

One such measure is a ban on demolition of apartment buildings occupied or recently occupied by renters. Another is a provision that delays implementation of the bill up to five years in communities where tenants are most likely to be displaced. Those areas would be identified by the state’s housing department and based on the percentage of renters living below the regional poverty line.

The new bill also includes an “inclusionary zoning” element that would require developers to include affordable units in new projects when taking advantage of relaxed height limits.

The new bill is coauthored by nearly a dozen members of the legislature and has already received support from the mayors of San Francisco, Oakland, and Sacramento.

So far, elected officials in Los Angeles have been silent about the revised bill (though the city's Chamber of Commerce supports the measure).

In 2017, strong resistance from Los Angeles leaders contributed to the quick defeat of SB 827. Amid concerns about the preservation of LA’s single-family neighborhoods, the City Council unanimously voted to oppose that measure. Councilmember Paul Koretz called it “the craziest bill I have ever seen.”

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that SB 827 had been introduced last year. It was introduced in January 2018.

• Sen. Scott Wiener will introduce new version of transit density bill [Curbed LA]
• Proposal to add density near transit stations quickly rejected in California senate [Curbed LA]
• This map shows how transit density bill would impact LA neighborhoods [Curbed LA]