What is Senate Bill 79?

In 2025, the State of California approved Senate Bill 79 (SB 79) to address the State’s housing shortage, create homeownership opportunities and build more homes near transit. SB 79 requires the City of San Diego to approve certain new home projects within a specified radius of qualifying train and bus stops, which the bill calls Transit-Oriented Development Stops, on sites zoned for residential, mixed or commercial development.

This state bill requires the City to implement it at the local level. SB 79’s requirements are generally consistent with policies included in the City’s Housing Element, calling for more housing options throughout the city, and the City’s Climate Action Plan, calling for more homes and jobs located near transit.

Where does SB 79 apply?

View larger map showing areas within half a mile of a trolley stop

SB 79 applies to areas half a mile (as the crow flies) around Transit-Oriented Development Stops, which are stops for rail and bus rapid transit. According to the City Planning Department’s initial analysis, the only stops in the City of Diego that meet this definition for SB 79 are Trolley Stops.

SB 79 requires the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) to prepare a map of the qualifying Transit-Oriented Development Stops in the region. SANDAG has not yet released this map, but if it contains different stops, this website and the City Planning Department’s analysis of the bill’s requirements will be updated.

What development does SB 79 allow in San Diego?

SB 79 requires cities to approve multifamily homes up to a specified height, density, and floor area ratio on land zoned for residential, mixed-use and commercial uses around Transit-Oriented Development Stops. The bill requires allowing more homes in taller buildings in areas closer to the Transit-Oriented Development Stop. Additionally, the bill requires approval of more homes to be built on sites that are located within 200 feet of a Transit-Oriented Development Stop.

For San Diego, SB 79 would allow for the following:

When will SB 79 take effect?

SB 79 takes effect on July 1, 2026. At that time, the City would be required to approve development that meets the bill’s requirements.

However, the bill allows cities to phase implementation in certain areas and exclude some areas from its application. The City Planning Department is proposing to phase implementation as allowed by SB 79.

How can the City implement SB 79?

SB 79 allows the City to phase implementation in certain areas. This means the bill does not take effect in these areas on July 1, 2026, if the City takes action to phase the implementation.

Although SB 79 applies only within a half-mile straight-line distance of a Transit-Oriented Development stop, some areas exceed a one-mile walking distance due to barriers such as canyons and freeways. SB 79 allows the City to exclude these areas from SB 79 implementation entirely if the City takes action to exempt them.

SB 79 allows the City to adopt a Transit-Oriented Development Alternative Plan to shift the number of homes around each Trolley Stop. This would help the City address issues like fire safety, ensuring new homes are resilient to climate change, the need for equitable distribution of housing throughout the City, protection of historic resources, neighborhood scale, and related considerations. With the adoption of an alternative plan, the City could shift some of the required homes between and within areas around Trolley Stops throughout the City.

Phasing the implementation of SB 79 would allow the City to fully evaluate where additional homes should be allowed and provide opportunities for the public to share their thoughts on how to best implement SB 79. To phase the implementation and exempt certain areas from SB 79, the City Planning Department is proposing two actions for City Council consideration.

First Council Action – Ordinance to Phase Implementation and Exempt Certain Areas

Spring 2026

The first action is scheduled to be heard at a City Council meeting this spring. The City Planning Department is proposing to phase or exempt the implementation of SB 79 in the areas listed below. With SB 79 scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026, this proposal would allow the City additional time to prepare a Transit-Oriented Development Alternative Plan prior to the bill taking effect citywide.

City Council Actions

SB 79 only allows the City to phase implementation or exempt areas through the adoption of an ordinance. The Department will present an ordinance to the City Council this spring including the following actions for consideration:

1. Exempt areas from SB 79 that are more than a one-mile walking distance from a Trolley Stop
2. Phase the implementation of SB 79 in Low Resource Areas until the City adopts its next General Plan Housing Element in 2031.
3. Phase the implementation of SB 79 in Very High Fire Severity Zones, on sites with a designated historic resource, and sites subject to one foot of sea level rise until the City has adopted a Transit-Oriented Development Alternative Plan.

Sites Not Eligible for Phased Implementation

Certain parts of the City are not eligible for phased implementation. SB 79 will take effect in these areas on July 1, 2026, and the City will be required to approve development allowed under the bill at that time.

View Map of Areas that will take effect under SB 79 on July 1, 2026

Second Council Action – Transit-Oriented Development Alternative Plan

Fall 2026

The City Planning Department will also prepare a Transit-Oriented Development Alternative Plan (Alternative Plan) to shift the home capacity allowed under SB 79 to tailor application to San Diego’s needs where allowed by the bill. This plan is anticipated to include amendments to the Municipal Code, zoning, affected community plans, and the General Plan. While the City may shift home capacity under the Alternative Plan, it must still accommodate the full home capacity required by the bill, and SB 79 limits how much capacity can be shifted from any specific property or from areas surrounding a Trolley Stop.  

The City Planning Department will share a draft Alternative Plan on this webpage for the public’s review and feedback. The Alternative Plan will then be heard by the Planning Commission and Land Use & Housing Committee before being presented to the City Council for consideration.

The Alternative Plan must be reviewed by the California Department of Housing and Community Development after its adoption. If the Department recommends changes to the Alternative Plan for consistency with SB 79 requirements, the Alternative Plan may be further amended.

Additional Information

The City Planning Department has prepared an interactive map that shows locations of the city’s Trolley Stops and the areas within the city that are eligible for phased implementation or exemption from SB 79.  

Additionally, the City Planning Department issued a memo to the City Council with more detail on SB 79 and the City’s options for implementation.  

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