📰 What Happened: CA’s SB 79 bill aims to override local zoning to permit mid-rise residential within 0.25 miles of rapid transit stations. Proponents believe the bill will address the state's housing shortfall and boost mobility with more compact, walkable developments. However, in a close vote, LA city leaders rejected the measure.

🔍 A Closer Look: LA is planning for 500,000 new homes by 2029, but its current permitting pace (17,200 units in 2024) is far below what's needed. Critics note 45% of land near transit stops is zoned for low-density uses, including single-family homes and parking. The city has also largely preserved exclusionary zoning.

🧠 Why It Matters: The council’s stance underscores tensions between local governance and state-led housing reform. For developers and housing advocates, LA’s resistance is an obstacle to building more infill housing where it’s needed most—near public transit corridors.