Senate Bill 79 is simply the wrong way to go about solving our housing crisis

In the city of Bellflower, local officials are doing everything they can to meet their community’s housing needs. But a recent fight with the county transit agency over land use serves as a cautionary tale of the rising unchecked power of transit agencies and the diminishing authority of both local governments and the will of the people. 

Bellflower officials are currently implementing their state-approved housing plans and zoning nearly 4,000 new homes over the next five years. This plan has taken years to develop and is grounded in public input, environmental review, and community needs. 

The city has also identified an additional 22 acres of land that can be developed into housing. However, the LA County Metro Transportation Authority (METRO) has initiated an eminent domain proceeding to take over the property and use it as a maintenance yard for the new Southeast Gateway Line Project.

To METRO, this is a plot of land to store their vehicles and equipment. To Bellflower, this could be more than 1,600 new homes in the community, including much-needed affordable housing. And if a Senate bill aimed at increasing construction around major public transportation hubs passes, this scenario could play out in other cities throughout the state. 

Senate Bill 79, introduced by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, would completely disregard state-approved housing plans and give land use authority to transit agencies with limited requirements to build housing, let alone affordable housing. The bill upends the years of thoughtful planning and community input that city officials carry out when developing their housing plans, while giving unilateral power to transit agencies.  

To add insult to injury, SB 79 was recently amended in a political trade-off to carve out certain communities in the wealthy areas of Marin and Sonoma counties from its most onerous requirements. Once again, our lower-income communities are asked to bear a disproportionate burden by increasing the density in our already dense neighborhoods to meet the state’s housing goals.  With the goal of generating funding for transit agencies, SB 79 could result in generating the wrong kind of construction near transit stops, like luxury condos or big box stores. Residents and local officials will be powerless to stop these developments or guarantee they include homes our residents can afford.  

City officials understand the intent of SB 79 and support increased density around transit. The Gateway Cities region is 3.5 times denser than LA County, and many of our cities have population density on par with New York City. Planning for more density is a serious undertaking that, if mishandled, could exacerbate inequalities in our community. Our communities already struggle with access to unaffordable housing, crippling congestion, unhealthy air, overcrowded schools, and a lack of public services like parks and libraries. 

That’s why Paramount has spent three years adopting the North Paramount Gateway Specific Plan, which increases density around transit. This plan was developed through extensive community engagement and ensures the city can provide the infrastructure and services to support the project and meet the needs of the residents. SB 79 undercuts the very approach that has allowed cities like Paramount to be proactive and community-focused in their planning. 

Cities agree with the fundamental problem — there aren’t enough homes being built in California. And we also understand our role in addressing the housing crisis: working with residents to plan for the types of housing we need. But solutions must come through collaboration, not by sidelining local voices or dismissing the community plans already underway.

SB 79 is simply the wrong way to go about solving our housing crisis. We urge the Legislature to reject this measure and work with cities on real solutions that respect community-driven planning, support housing plans already underway, and identify a sustainable state investment that matches the scale of this decades-in-the-making crisis.

Peggy Lemons is mayor of Paramount. Victor Sanchez serves on the Bellflower City Council.