SB 79, California YIMBY’s signature legislation that legalized apartment buildings near transit stops throughout California, went into effect on July 1, 2026. Under the law’s provisions, jurisdictions throughout the state must now begin implementation, which includes various pathways to achieve…
One Reason Why American Public Transit is More Expensive to Build than in Europe
America pays roughly 50 percent more per mile for public transit than comparable countries do, and a little-examined culprit is the community engagement process meant to improve projects. A new analysis from the Urban Institute finds that poorly structured public…
The Affordability Agenda: Why Mobility Matters
Lower-income Americans spend over 30% of their after-tax income on transportation, a burden driven by states prioritizing highways over transit. New research argues the high cost of transport reflects a policy failure, but one that can be reversed and lead…
Governor Newsom Signs Historic Housing Legislation
SB 79 Culminates Eight-Year Fight to Legalize Homes Near Transit “This Governor has cemented his legacy as a pro-housing leader” SACRAMENTO — Today California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 79, a bill that will make it legal…
How America’s Regional Planning Boards Exclude Renters and Transit Users
America’s regional planning boards are stacked against transit riders. While renters make up over 30% of households in typical metropolitan areas, they hold just 3% of seats on regional planning agencies that control billions of dollars in federal transportation funding.…
What Would SB 79 Mean for Los Angeles?
How is Los Angeles doing on housing affordability? Not good. The median home price in Los Angeles is now $930,622. That’s over 11 times the median household income – meaning the typical Los Angeles family does not have a path…
Historic Housing Legislation Passes in California
SB 79 Culminates Eight-Year Fight to Legalize Homes Near Transit “Nothing is impossible” SACRAMENTO – In a historic victory for California YIMBY and the YIMBY movement, the California state legislature today voted to pass SB 79, a bill that will…
America’s Highway to Hell (And Poverty)– How We All Lose from Road Spending
Cities across America spend billions expanding highways and building parking lots, believing more driving equals more prosperity. However, new research suggests the opposite: regions with the highest car dependency tend to exhibit lower economic productivity, while walkable areas with good…
How California makes it harder to build homes where people drive less
California lets homebuilders fast-track housing in certain “low-VMT neighborhoods”—areas where new residents are expected to drive less than average (low vehicle miles traveled). The idea: support climate goals and housing access at the same time. But a new report shows…
NEW REPORT: How Land Use Reform Can Solve the Los Angeles Budget Crisis
SB 79 Could Bring Up to $1 Billion to City Coffers; Help Solve Housing Shortage Los Angeles – The City of Los Angeles could largely solve its $1 billion budget shortfall by allowing more homes to be built near its…