California Senate Advances SB 79 to Address Housing Crisis

California's Senate Appropriations Committee advanced SB 79, aiming to legalize multi-family housing near major transit stops and allow transit agencies to build housing on their land. The bill targets restrictive zoning, permits buildings up to seven stories near transit, and supports transit-oriented development to address housing shortages, reduce costs, lower emissions, and stabilize transit funding. It faces debate over market-rate housing impacts.