Unchecked. Unreviewed. Unstoppable—unless we act now.

California’s Senate Bill 79 (the “Abundant & Affordable Homes Near Transit Act”) looks modest at first glance—a “housing” bill that up-zones land around rail and bus stops. Dig into the fine print and you’ll find a sweeping, ministerial up-zoning mandate that:

• Raises height limits to 45 – 75 feet within ¼- to ½-mile of nearly every high-frequency transit stop.
• Overrides all local zoning and environmental review (CEQA)—projects are rubber-stamped with no city hearings, no community input, and no Environmental Impact Report.
• Lets developers stack even more height with state “density bonuses” and an “adjacency intensifier,” pushing towers deep into existing neighborhoods. San Francisco ChronicleLegiScan
   

In short, SB 79 could redraw entire cities from the Capitol building in Sacramento—while displacing lower-income residents who rely on transit today.

The bill is up for its first crucial vote tomorrow. We must flood committee staff with opposition emails today.

1. Write one short email (3-4 sentences). 
2. Use this subject line exactly: “SB 79 – Oppose.”
3. Copy/paste the five staffer addresses below into the “To:” field.
4. Hit Send—then forward this alert to friends and neighbors.

• Jessica Matlock – Policy Analyst for Sen. Jesse Arreguín
  jessica.matlock@sen.ca.gov
• Meri Kaftan – Policy Analyst for Sen. Steven Choi
  meri.kaftan@sen.ca.gov
• Cynthia Yepez – Policy Analyst for Sen. Maria Elena Durazo
  cynthia.yepez@sen.ca.gov
• Michelle Reyes – Legislative Director for Sen. John Laird
  michelle.reyes@sen.ca.gov
• Crystal Horn – Legislative Aide for Sen. Kelly Seyarto
  crystal.horn@sen.ca.gov 

(Staff tally every “Oppose” email they receive—numbers matter.)

• Massive mandate, zero oversight. SB 79 approves projects ministerially—no public hearings, no CEQA review.
• Higher land prices ≠ affordable homes. Up-zoning without requirements for on-site affordability drives speculation and raises costs.
• Bus stops move; 50-year towers don’t. Building seven-story apartments around bus routes risks stranding residents when service is cut.
• Transit riders are low-income. Blanket up-zoning accelerates gentrification and displacement in the very communities that rely on transit today.
• Local democracy matters. SB 79 strips cities of basic planning authority and ignores existing general plans.

While our goal is to kill the bill, here are fallback amendments worth demanding:

1. Mandatory on-site affordability in every SB 79 project.
2. Limit to rail & ferry corridors—remove all bus-based up-zoning.
3. Allow full impact-fee & nexus studies so cities can fund schools, parks, and infrastructure.

• Livable California opposition letter: Download PDF
• Full bill text on LegiScan: https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB79/id/3059553 LegiScan

Every email counts. Send yours now, then spread the word—before SB 79 becomes law.