SB 79 arrives as L.A. upzoning plan takes shape

SB 79 – Los Angeles is preparing to reshape zoning rules under Senate Bill 79, now in effect. The city’s Low-Rise Ordinance limits how much density the state law allows and identifies 57 areas where developers can build more homes near transit—while carving out many l

On a quiet stretch of L.A.’s map, the policy fight that began in Sacramento is about to land in front yards and apartment lot lines.

Senate Bill 79 took effect on Wednesday, written to speed up housing construction by overriding local zoning rules near transit. It is designed to allow taller. denser development close to bus stops and train stations—up to nine stories for buildings adjacent to certain transit stops. seven stories for buildings within a quarter-mile. and six stories for buildings within a half-mile.

But Los Angeles—along with a cluster of Southern California cities including Beverly Hills. Pasadena. Glendale. and L.A.—did not simply let the state’s default upzoning kick in as-is. When the bill proved so contentious. lawmakers added carve-outs and exemptions that let cities delay its implementation by passing their own density plans.

For L.A., that delay is now formalized. If the city had done nothing, areas surrounding more than 150 transit stops would have been upzoned immediately as of July 1. Instead, L.A. adopted the Low-Rise Ordinance. allowing the city to hold SB 79 off until 2030 by adding light density across a smaller number of areas.

The result is a kind of halfway step: more density than the city had before, but not as much as SB 79 calls for.

Under the ordinance. developers can now build up to four-story buildings with up to 16 units on lots that were previously zoned for single-family homes. The city identified 57 areas where those changes are most likely to apply. with the bulk located across Central L.A. West L.A. the Eastside. and the San Fernando Valley.

Not every lot in those neighborhoods is being swept into the update. Many areas were exempted for different reasons, including lots in hillside fire zones and lots in Historic Protection Overlay Zones.

To check whether specific parcels are included, residents and developers are being directed to a city link and prompted to check the box that says “Opportunity Station Sites Eligible for Low Rise.”

The ordinance is also a pause amid the scramble that followed SB 79’s path through the Legislature. As the bill moved through Sacramento, the L.A. City Council passed a resolution opposing it. calling it “chaos” and a “one-size-fits-all mandate.” In September. Mayor Karen Bass urged Gov. Gavin Newsom to veto the bill.

After SB 79 was passed in October, the question shifted from whether change would come to how it would land. Cities. homeowners. developers. and even politicians scrambled to figure out which transit stops would be affected. as amateur cartographers released homemade maps showing potential upzoned areas and some places wavered over whether their stops would be included.

L.A. City Council adopted its “low-rise” strategy in March and approved it in late June. On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Bass backed the plan.

“This local approach to SB 79 will help create more housing near transit. expand housing options for working families. and support a more sustainable future for LA. ” said Kolby Lee. a spokesperson for Bass. “The Mayor appreciates the work of the City Council and City Planning to develop a plan that complies with state law. reflects the needs of our communities. and expands on our ongoing efforts to cut red tape and deliver housing while respecting the character of our neighborhoods.”.

For now, the city’s stance is clear: housing should move closer to transit, but L.A. is trying to control the speed and the scale—one eligibility box at a time, even as the state’s higher-density ceiling remains waiting beyond the ordinance’s 2030 timeline.

SB 79 Senate Bill 79 Los Angeles Low-Rise Ordinance upzoning housing crisis transit oriented development zoning Karen Bass Gavin Newsom Kolby Lee