California Passed Big Housing Bills in 2025. What Does That Mean for Building More Homes?
The California state legislature passed a bevy of blockbuster housing bills last year. As those laws go into effect, some housing experts say they mark a seismic shift in attitudes towards the state’s housing affordability crisis and lawmakers’ appetite for solving it.
New California law would put taller apartment buildings near BART and Caltrain
Cities throughout California may see a perceptible transformation of their urban design in the coming years, under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to authorize dense housing around transit hubs. Senate Bill 79, which the governor approved on Friday morning, will change zoning standards around train stations, ferry terminals and bus rapid transit stops, allowing apartment buildings and other multifamily homes up to nine stories. The law will also loosen height restrictions within a half mile radius of these transportation hubs.
Governor Newsom signs legislation to accelerate housing and affordability
Governor Gavin Newsom today signed Senate Bill 79 (Wiener) and additional bills to make it easier and faster to build more homes — expanding inventory and access across California. These measures cut red tape and hold local governments accountable, so families don’t have to wait years for housing to be approved and built in their communities.
California Rolls Back CEQA for Urban Infill Development
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed into law a legislative package that includes broad exemptions to the 54-year-old California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Housing projects in urban infill areas that have already been approved under city and county environmental review will no longer need to be subjected to further state assessment under CEQA, which has often been cited as an obstacle to housing development in the state.
Governor Newsom signs into law groundbreaking reforms to build more housing, boost affordability
“We applaud the governor and the legislature for this breakthrough reform package to streamline housing production,” said Matthew O. Franklin, President & CEO, MidPen Housing. “We know that increasing housing supply is key to solving our affordability crisis, and are confident these measures contribute to a future with more affordable, environmentally sustainable housing options for all Californians.”