The Long Track Back
LA City Council Pushes Back Against SB 79: What’s at Stake for Housing Near Transit
The LA City Council narrowly voted to oppose SB 79, a state bill that would allow mid-rise housing near Metro stations and major bus corridors, highlighting the ongoing clash between local control and state-led solutions to Los Angeles’ housing crisis.
Last Updated on September 5, 2025 by Daily News Staff
Los Angeles, California, USA downtown cityscape at City Hall.
Los Angeles is once again at the center of California’s ongoing housing debate. On August 20, 2025, the LA City Council voted 8–5 to oppose Senate Bill 79 (SB 79), a statewide housing reform bill authored by Senator Scott Wiener. The legislation aims to allow taller housing—up to six or nine stories—near rail stations and major bus corridors, bypassing local zoning restrictions.
The close vote highlights a deep divide within Los Angeles politics: Should the city embrace state-led housing reform to tackle the crisis, or double down on its own local strategies?
What SB 79 Proposes
SB 79 is the latest in a series of bills seeking to override restrictive local zoning in the name of solving California’s housing shortage. Similar to Wiener’s earlier effort, SB 50, the new bill would:
Permit mid-rise housing within ½ mile of rail stations and along major bus rapid transit (BRT) corridors. Require affordability set-asides (20% in some cases). Eliminate single-family zoning near transit hubs to promote denser, transit-oriented development.
For advocates, the bill is common sense: build more homes where people already ride transit. For opponents, it’s another example of Sacramento stripping away local control.
Why the LA City Council Opposed SB 79
The council’s majority, led by members like Traci Park and John Lee, argued that:
Local Control Matters – Neighborhoods and city planners should decide how LA grows, not the state legislature. Infrastructure Costs – City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto warned that more density could strain utilities, services, and transit—costs that could fall on taxpayers. Existing Plans Are Enough – Opponents pointed to LA’s updated housing strategy and Citywide Housing Incentive Program, arguing the city is already on track without state interference.
Mayor Karen Bass endorsed the council’s opposition—though with a twist. She said she could support SB 79 if Los Angeles were exempted, since its housing plan is already state-approved.
The Case for SB 79
On the other side, five councilmembers—including Nithya Raman, Eunisses Hernandez, and Marqueece Harris-Dawson—voted against opposing SB 79. They argued LA’s housing shortage is too severe to rely solely on local action.
“Our actions have not met the moment,” Raman said. “We need bold solutions, even if that means giving up some control.”
Housing advocates outside City Hall agree. Groups like California YIMBY and Streets for All say SB 79 is crucial to unlock housing where it’s most needed—near Metro lines and job centers. They warn that LA’s stance signals a retreat to exclusionary zoning, despite one of the worst affordability crises in the nation.
Where SB 79 Would Hit Home
If SB 79 becomes law, the changes would be most visible along Metro rail lines and bus corridors:
Expo / E Line (Santa Monica to DTLA) – Santa Monica, Culver City, USC, Exposition Park Wilshire Corridor (B & D Lines) – Koreatown, Mid-Wilshire, Miracle Mile, Beverly Hills, Westwood (future extension) Crenshaw / K Line – Inglewood, Baldwin Hills, Leimert Park South LA (A Line) – Watts, Florence, Willowbrook, Downtown LA Valley (G Line BRT) – North Hollywood, Van Nuys, Reseda, Canoga Park
That means South LA and East LA could see new development pressures—raising displacement concerns—while affluent areas like Santa Monica, Westwood, and Beverly Hills could face state-mandated density they’ve long resisted.
Why It Matters for LA’s Future
Housing Goals: LA is supposed to plan for ~450,000 new homes by 2029 but is falling far short. Climate Goals: More housing near transit could reduce car dependence and cut emissions. 2028 Olympics: With billions invested in LA Metro, international attention will be on whether LA embraces transit-oriented growth or clings to sprawl.
In many ways, the SB 79 debate isn’t just about housing—it’s about whether California is willing to override local zoning in its largest city to meet statewide goals.
What’s Next
SB 79 has already passed the State Senate and is now moving through the Assembly. Its fate could hinge on whether cities like Los Angeles win exemptions. If it passes without carveouts, LA may be forced to accept taller housing near virtually every Metro station and major transit corridor.
Either way, the fight underscores LA’s crossroads: Will it choose bold, statewide solutions to its housing crisis, or continue to guard local control—even if it means building fewer homes?
✍️ Bottom Line:
The LA City Council’s opposition to SB 79 is a powerful political statement, but it may not stop the bill. Whether LA gets exempted—or whether SB 79 becomes the new housing law of the land—will shape how the city grows for decades to come.
Related Links
Los Angeles Times: Denser housing near transit stops opposed by LA City Council
California YIMBY: Statement on LA City Council vote on SB 79
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Urbanism
The Building That Proved Los Angeles Could Go Vertical
Los Angeles once banned skyscrapers, yet City Hall broke the height limit and proved high-rise buildings could be engineered safely in an earthquake zone.
How City Hall Quietly Undermined LA’s Own Height Limits
The Knowledge Series | STM Daily News
For more than half a century, Los Angeles enforced one of the strictest building height limits in the United States. Beginning in 1905, most buildings were capped at 150 feet, shaping a city that grew outward rather than upward.
The goal was clear: avoid the congestion, shadows, and fire dangers associated with dense Eastern cities. Los Angeles sold itself as open, sunlit, and horizontal — a place where growth spread across land, not into the sky.
And yet, in 1928, Los Angeles City Hall rose to 454 feet, towering over the city like a contradiction in concrete.
It wasn’t built to spark a commercial skyscraper boom.
But it ended up proving that Los Angeles could safely build one.
A Rule Designed to Prevent a Manhattan-Style City
The original height restriction was rooted in early 20th-century fears:
- Limited firefighting capabilities
- Concerns over blocked sunlight and airflow
- Anxiety about congestion and overcrowding
- A strong desire not to resemble New York or Chicago
Los Angeles wanted prosperity — just not vertical density.
The height cap reinforced a development model where:
- Office districts stayed low-rise
- Growth moved outward
- Automobiles became essential
- Downtown never consolidated into a dense core
This philosophy held firm even as other American cities raced upward.
Why City Hall Was Never Meant to Change the Rules
City Hall was intentionally exempt from the height limit because the law applied primarily to private commercial buildings, not civic monuments.
But city leaders were explicit about one thing:
City Hall was not a precedent.
It was designed to:
- Serve as a symbolic seat of government
- Stand alone as a civic landmark
- Represent stability, authority, and modern governance
- Avoid competing with private office buildings
In effect, Los Angeles wanted a skyline icon — without a skyline.
Innovation Hidden in Plain Sight
What made City Hall truly significant wasn’t just its height — it was how it was built.
At a time when seismic science was still developing, City Hall incorporated advanced structural ideas for its era:
- A steel-frame skeleton designed for flexibility
- Reinforced concrete shear walls for lateral strength
- A tapered tower to reduce wind and seismic stress
- Thick structural cores that distributed force instead of resisting it rigidly
These choices weren’t about aesthetics — they were about survival.
The Earthquake That Changed the Conversation
In 1933, the Long Beach earthquake struck Southern California, causing widespread damage and reshaping building codes statewide.
Los Angeles City Hall survived with minimal structural damage.
This moment quietly reshaped the debate:
- A tall building had endured a major earthquake
- Structural engineering had proven effective
- Height alone was no longer the enemy — poor design was
City Hall didn’t just survive — it validated a new approach to vertical construction in seismic regions.
Proof Without Permission
Despite this success, Los Angeles did not rush to repeal its height limits.
Cultural resistance to density remained strong, and developers continued to build outward rather than upward. But the technical argument had already been settled.
City Hall stood as living proof that:
- High-rise buildings could be engineered safely in Los Angeles
- Earthquakes were a challenge, not a barrier
- Fire, structural, and seismic risks could be managed
The height restriction was no longer about safety — it was about philosophy.
The Ironic Legacy
When Los Angeles finally lifted its height limit in 1957, the city did not suddenly erupt into skyscrapers. The habit of building outward was already deeply entrenched.
The result:
- A skyline that arrived decades late
- Uneven density across the region
- Multiple business centers instead of one core
- Housing and transit challenges baked into the city’s growth pattern
City Hall never triggered a skyscraper boom — but it quietly made one possible.
Why This Still Matters
Today, Los Angeles continues to wrestle with:
- Housing shortages
- Transit-oriented development debates
- Height and zoning battles near rail corridors
- Resistance to density in a growing city
These debates didn’t begin recently.
They trace back to a single contradiction: a city that banned tall buildings — while proving they could be built safely all along.
Los Angeles City Hall wasn’t just a monument.
It was a test case — and it passed.
Further Reading & Sources
- Los Angeles Department of City Planning – History of Urban Planning in LA
- Los Angeles Conservancy – History & Architecture of LA City Hall
- Water and Power Associates – Early Los Angeles Buildings & Height Limits
- USGS – How Buildings Are Designed to Withstand Earthquakes
- Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety – Building Code History
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The Knowledge
Metro Board Advances Sepulveda Transit Corridor as C Line South Bay Extension Remains Under Review
The Los Angeles Metro Board meeting addressed progress on two key rail projects: the approved underground Sepulveda Transit Corridor, enhancing regional connectivity, and the debated extension of the Metro C Line into the South Bay, which remains undecided.
The future of Los Angeles transit was the focus of a recent Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Board meeting, where directors considered progress on two major rail projects: the Sepulveda Transit Corridor and the long-planned extension of the Metro C Line into the South Bay.
While the meeting resulted in a decisive vote on one project, the other continues to generate debate among Metro officials, local cities, and residents.
Sepulveda Transit Corridor: Underground Heavy Rail Moves Forward
The Metro Board unanimously approved the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for the Sepulveda Transit Corridor, marking a major milestone for a project that has been discussed for decades.
The approved alternative calls for a fully underground heavy rail subway connecting the San Fernando Valley to the Westside, running from the Van Nuys Metrolink Station to the Metro E Line’s Expo/Sepulveda Station. The line would pass beneath the Sepulveda Pass, UCLA, and other high-demand travel areas.
Metro officials emphasized that the underground alignment offers the fastest travel times, highest passenger capacity, and the fewest surface-level impacts when compared with earlier aerial or monorail alternatives. The project is expected to significantly reduce congestion along the 405 Freeway corridor and improve regional connectivity.
With the LPA now selected, the Sepulveda Transit Corridor advances toward final environmental clearance, engineering, and eventual construction — a process that will continue over the coming years.
Metro C Line Extension: South Bay Alignment Debate Continues
The Board also discussed the Metro C Line extension into the South Bay, a project intended to extend light rail service approximately 4.5 miles from the current Redondo Beach station to the Torrance Transit Center.
Metro has released the project’s Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR), which incorporates years of technical analysis and public input. However, unlike the Sepulveda project, the Board did not take final action to certify the FEIR or formally adopt a locally preferred alignment at this meeting.
Hawthorne Boulevard vs. Metro Right-of-Way
At the center of the C Line discussion is the question of alignment.
Metro staff has identified a “hybrid” alignment using an existing Metro-owned rail right-of-way as the preferred option. This route would largely follow the historic Harbor Subdivision corridor, minimizing new street disruptions while blending at-grade, elevated, and below-grade segments.
Some South Bay cities, however, continue to advocate for a Hawthorne Boulevard alignment, which would place rail tracks within the median of the busy commercial corridor. Supporters argue it offers better street-level access, while Metro has cited higher costs, longer construction timelines, and greater traffic impacts as key concerns.
Metro officials indicated that additional coordination with local jurisdictions and further Board action will be needed before a final decision is made.
What This Means for LA Transit
The contrast between the two projects was clear at the meeting: the Sepulveda Transit Corridor is now firmly on a defined path forward, while the C Line extension remains in a critical decision-making phase.
Together, the projects highlight both the ambition and complexity of expanding transit in Los Angeles County — balancing regional mobility goals, neighborhood impacts, and long-term funding realities.
Further Reading & Official Project Information
Metro Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project Page
– Official Metro overview of the Sepulveda Pass project, including alternatives, maps, timelines, and environmental documents.
Metro Board Considers Locally Preferred Alternative for Sepulveda Corridor
– Metro’s summary of the Board action and rationale behind selecting the underground heavy rail option.
Metro C Line Extension to Torrance Project Page
– Background, station concepts, and status updates for the South Bay light rail extension.
Final Environmental Impact Report: C Line Extension
– Details on the Final EIR, public comments, and next steps toward Board certification.
Metro Project Updates – The Source
– Ongoing Metro blog updates covering major transit projects, board actions, and construction milestones.
LA Metro Board of Directors
– Information on Metro Board members, meeting schedules, agendas, and voting records.
STM Daily News will continue to follow both projects closely, providing updates as Metro moves toward final approvals, construction timelines, and funding decisions that will shape how Angelenos travel for decades to come.
For ongoing coverage of Metro projects, transportation policy, and infrastructure across Southern California, visit STM Daily News.
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Daily News
Metro Board to Consider Locally Preferred Alternative for Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project
Metro Board will consider Modified Alternative 5 as the Locally Preferred Alternative for the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project on January 22, 2026, a major step toward improving transit between the San Fernando Valley and LA’s Westside.
On Thursday, January 22, 2026, at 10:00 AM, the Metro Board will consider selecting a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project. This milestone could significantly improve mobility options between the San Fernando Valley and the of Los Angeles.
Proposed Alternative
After a technical evaluation and reviewing more than 8,000 public comments from the Draft Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR) period, Metro staff has proposed Modified Alternative 5 as the LPA. This underground heavy rail line would run between the Van Nuys Metrolink Station and the E Line Expo/Sepulveda Station with a key connection to the G Line at Van Nuys Boulevard.
Modified Alternative 5 combines the benefits of Alternative 5—high ridership, frequent service, and shorter station construction sites—while avoiding geographic challenges in the Santa Monica Mountains. It also incorporates connectivity advantages from Alternative 6 along Van Nuys Boulevard, reducing the overall project length and anticipated costs, and increasing direct connections to Metro’s growing transit network.
Next Steps
If approved, Metro would advance project development for the LPA, including:
- Evaluating phasing and the Public/Private Partnership (P3) delivery model
- Identifying value engineering opportunities
- Refining designs to allow G Line connection at Van Nuys Boulevard
- Continuing environmental review and community outreach
Public Participation
Residents, businesses, and institutions are encouraged to provide feedback:
- Attend in person: Sign up on the tablets in the Metro Headquarters lobby before 9:45 AM.
- Email comments: BoardClerk@metro.net (comments received before 5 PM on January 21, 2026, will be sent to the full Board)
- Watch live: boardagendas.metro.net
Why This Matters
The Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project will connect the San Fernando Valley to the Westside, addressing the natural barrier of the Santa Monica Mountains and relieving congestion on the I-405. It will provide a fast, safe, and reliable alternative to the freeway and strengthen LA’s regional transit network.
Disclaimer: Station locations and construction timelines are subject to change. Project availability may vary. Public input is encouraged before final decisions are made.
Continuing Coverage: STM Daily News will continue to follow developments surrounding the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project, including Metro Board decisions, environmental review updates, community input opportunities, and the project’s long-term impact on transportation across Los Angeles.
For the latest updates, in-depth reporting, and transportation-focused coverage, visit STM Daily News.
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