Major victory over the NIMBY/MAGA coalition
By 
Great news for California, bad news for people who want higher housing prices, better electoral maps for Republicans, and fewer people living in states that protect reproductive rights:
Today California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 79, a bill that will make it legal to build more homes near the highest capacity transit stops across California.
The law will take effect July 1, 2026.
“When I started California YIMBY, my goal was to make California affordable for everyone by legalizing more homebuilding — starting with homes near transit,” said Brian Hanlon, CEO of California YIMBY. “In 2018, we launched that vision with SB 827, and today’s signing of SB 79 by Governor Newsom marks the realization of that foundational goal.”
“With his signature on SB 79, Governor Newsom cements his legacy as one of the most transformative pro-housing leaders in California history,” Hanlon said. “Now we begin the work of making sure its provisions are fully and fairly implemented.”
A battle, not the war, but a very important value. And while Newsom will not be one of my top choices for the Democratic nominee in 2028, to the extent that his ambitions incentivize good governance in California I say godspeed.