California Senate Bill 79 · LA Phased Implementation

By-right housing
near transit, decoded.

Since July 1, 2026, SB 79 can supersede local zoning on qualifying parcels, while 139,450 phased implementation APNs. This portal turns the City of LA's Phased Implementation Model into an instant, parcel-by-parcel answer: Is this site eligible? What's buildable? When can I file?

⚡ Check an APN Read the brief
Current underwriting status
SB 79 is operative
LA Ords 188967 / 188968 are effective. The May 5 Sean Lahijani / LA Planning APN snapshot is a screening control; verify final/current eligibility in ZIMAS.
139,450
Phased APNs
with Low-Rise adoption
2,718
Permanent exclusions
walking-path + industrial
8
Exemption pathways
§65912.161(b)(1)
~150
Qualifying stations
Tier 1 + Tier 2
Instant Eligibility

Check any APN or address.

Paste an LA County APN (e.g. 5435-006-029) or a street address. We'll return the tier, distance band, envelope, and any permanent or temporary exemption flags — using the official LA Planning Phased Implementation Model dataset.

Free. No signup required.

Eligible by-right

The Statute

What SB 79 actually does.

SB 79 — the Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act, Cal. Gov. Code §65912.155–162 — declares housing a permitted use on any residential-, mixed-, or commercial-zoned site within ½ mile of a qualifying transit stop. Local zoning cannot override SB 79's density, height, and FAR standards. Review is ministerial: no CEQA, no Planning Commission, no Council.

Who passed it, and when does it take effect?
The California Legislature enacted SB 79 (Wiener) in 2025. It takes effect statewide on July 1, 2026. Local jurisdictions including LA have authority to publish implementation models that classify parcels for permanent exclusion or temporary exemption.
What's the difference from SB 35, SB 9, AB 2011, SB 423?
SB 35 (2017) provides ministerial review when a jurisdiction misses RHNA targets and requires significant affordability set-asides. SB 9 (2021) allows lot splits and duplexes on single-family parcels. AB 2011 (2022) permits affordable housing on commercial corridors with prevailing-wage triggers. SB 423 (2023) extended SB 35. SB 79 is broader than all of them: it covers any residential/mixed/commercial parcel near transit, requires no affordability set-aside (though Density Bonus stacks if desired), and is ministerial.
Does SB 79 require affordable housing?
No. SB 79's base entitlement requires no affordable set-aside. You can build 100% market-rate. However, if you stack the State Density Bonus Law (§65915) you can add up to 50% bonus units in exchange for a defined affordable set-aside (5–24% depending on income tier).
What about parking?
AB 2097 (2022) already eliminated minimum parking near major transit. Every SB 79 site is within ½ mile of qualifying transit by definition, so AB 2097 applies — zero minimum parking required. Some Tier 2 ½-mile sites have a 0.5/unit parking ratio in LA's implementation model.
What stops SB 79 from applying to my parcel?
Three things: (1) permanent exclusion — your parcel is in an Industrial Employment Hub (LAX, Van Nuys, Downtown/SE LA, Chatsworth, Pacoima, Atwater/Cypress Park) or has no walking path under one mile to the TOD stop; (2) statutory exemption — your parcel is zoned Public Facilities, Parking, or Open Space; (3) RSO demolition — your project on a site with > 2 units would require demolition of any LA Rent Stabilization Ordinance unit occupied in the last 7 years. Beyond these, eight temporary exemption pathways may apply (see the Phasing section).
How fast is approval?
Per §65912.158(b): 60 days for projects of 150 units or fewer; 90 days for larger projects. Plan-check only; no entitlement, no hearings.
LA's Phased Implementation Model

From 138,192 sites to 135,474 eligible.

The City of LA Department of City Planning ran a parcel-level model (BOE PIN summed to LA County APN) against every qualifying TOD Zone. Here's how the funnel actually narrows. Hover any step for the statutory citation.

138,192
Total sites in qualifying TOD Zones
All parcels within ½ mile of a qualifying Tier 1 or Tier 2 transit stop.
§65912.155
−3,976
Statutorily exempt
Public Facility, Parking, Open Space zones — no residential or commercial use permitted.
§65912.157(a)
−341
Permanently excluded — No walking path < 1 mile
ArcGIS Network Analysis of street network within ½-mile buffer; natural impediments excluded.
§65912.160(e)(1)
−2,377
Permanently excluded — Industrial Employment Hub
Six hubs ≥ 250 contiguous acres: LAX, Van Nuys, Downtown/SE LA, Chatsworth, Pacoima, Atwater/Cypress Park.
§65912.160(e)(2)
17,562
Local capacity retained ≥ 50% under Low-Rise Ordinance
After May 19, 2026 amendments. Still developable — under local rules.
§65912.161(b)(1)(A)
135,474
Eligible for SB 79 Phased Implementation
The universe of by-right action on July 1, 2026 — subject to per-site temporary exemption tests.
§65912.161(b)

The 8 Temporary Exemption Pathways

A site can be temporarily exempt from SB 79's standards under any one of these criteria. Six are site-level, two are TOD-Zone-level. Sites may qualify for multiple pathways.

Development Envelope

Tier 1 vs Tier 2 — what you can build.

Tier is determined by the service type of the nearest qualifying stop, not your parcel location. Distance bands are measured from the stop platform. Values shown are from §65912.157(a) Table.

Tier 1 · Heavy Rail
160 du/ac · 4.5 FAR · 95 ft
Maximum allowance @ 200 feet from station
200 ft
160
du/ac · 4.5 FAR
¼ mile
120
du/ac · 3.5 FAR
½ mile
100
du/ac · 3.0 FAR
Height
95'
all bands
Stations: Red/B Line and Purple/D Line — Union Station to North Hollywood; Wilshire/Vermont through Westwood/VA Hospital.
Tier 2 · Light Rail · Commuter · BRT
140 du/ac · 4.0 FAR · 85 ft
Maximum allowance @ 200 feet from station
200 ft
140
du/ac · 4.0 FAR
¼ mile
100
du/ac · 3.0 FAR
½ mile
80
du/ac · 2.5 FAR
Height
85'
all bands
Stations: Blue/A, Expo/E, Gold/L, Green/C, K Line, Regional Connector, NoHo–Pasadena BRT, Vermont BRT, Metrolink, Metro 234/910/70/78/81, Orange Line.
Station Browser

Browse every qualifying TOD Zone.

~150 stations across LA Metro Rail, Metrolink, and qualifying BRT. Filter by tier or line. Click a station to see the TOD Zone polygon and top eligible parcels within ½ mile.

Strategic parcel overlay
Zoom into a station area, then shade visible parcels by APN status.
Available to study Temporary exemption Excluded Not in Table 1C
Tier 1 (Heavy Rail) Tier 2 (Light Rail / Metrolink / BRT) Industrial Hub (excluded zone)
APN Database

Search the full 139,450-APN phased dataset.

Filter by tier, distance band, APN prefix, and exemption status. CSV export and batch upload belong in the developer portal.

Public preview samples up to 250 APNs.
Loading Table 1C APN index…
Eligibility Calculator · PRO

Run all 8 pathways on a single APN.

Enter an APN to evaluate each pathway with a rule-by-rule verdict and statutory citation. Shows which exemption (if any) applies and why.

Each pathway runs against the parcel's TCAC tier, fire hazard, historic, and capacity data — with the statutory citation alongside each verdict.

🔒 Pro feature

Unlock the full eligibility calculator with all 8 exemption pathway tests, statutory citations, and supporting parcel data.

Start a trial
Envelope Visualizer · PRO

See your max build, drawn to scale.

Given lot SF + tier + distance band, the calculator returns max units, max height, max FAR/GFA, and parking ratio — and renders an SVG sketch of the buildable envelope.

🔒 Pro feature

Unlock the envelope visualizer for max units, height, FAR/GFA, parking, and an SVG sketch of the buildable mass.

Start a trial
Pro Forma Modeler · PRO

Base zoning vs. SB 79 — side by side.

Underwriting comparison: residual land value, yield on cost, and total dev cost under the base-zoning scenario vs. the SB 79 envelope. Stack Density Bonus and MIIP to push higher.

Full residual-land-value pro forma comparing local and SB 79 envelopes, with construction $/SF, rents, vacancy, opex, cap rate, and target yield inputs — reusing Land to Yield's core HBU and finance modules.

🔒 Pro feature

Unlock the full pro forma modeler with base-vs-SB 79 scenario comparison and density-bonus stacking.

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Developer Playbook

Current parcel diligence checklist.

Current action items for screening, design and filing. Check items off — your progress saves locally.

Week 1 · Site identification (days 1–7)

Week 2 · Schematic design (days 8–14)

Week 3 · Pre-app coordination (days 15–21)

Week 4 · Construction documents (days 22–28)

Pre-submittal

Filing and plan check

Source Documents

The official record.

Every claim in this portal traces back to a primary source. Below is LA Planning's full SB 79 implementation package. May 2026 materials are provenance controls and must be reconciled to the signed June ordinances and current ZIMAS.

Methodology
Appendix 1 — SB 79 Phased Implementation Model
The definitive technical framework — capacity assumptions, MIIP hierarchy, exemption logic, plurality methodology. CPC-2026-1798-MSC, May 14, 2026.
 Results
Exhibit 4 — Phased Implementation Model Results
Citywide funnel and TOD-Zone-by-TOD-Zone breakdown of eligibility, exemption counts, and capacity comparisons.
 APN Table
Table 1C — Sites Eligible for Phased Implementation
139,450 individual APNs with permanent/statutory and temporary exemption flags. The dataset this portal queries.
 Ordinance
Low-Rise Ordinance — May 19, 2026
LAMC residential zoning updates that add 17,562 sites with ≥ 50% SB 79 capacity (Pathway A exemption).
 Determination
Letter of Determination — May 2026
DCP's interpretive guidance to LADBS and the public on SB 79 application, tier definitions, and ministerial review.
 Tech Modification
CPC-2026-1797 and CPC-2026-1798 — Technical Modification
May 14, 2026 City Planning Commission action adopting technical modifications and aligning LAMC with SB 79 ministerial process.
 PLUM Committee
PLUM Committee Hearing — February 18, 2026
City Council Planning and Land Use Management committee materials and findings supporting the SB 79 implementation framework.
 Statute
Cal. Gov. Code §65912.155–65912.162
The statutory text of SB 79. Primary source for development standards, permanent exclusions, and temporary exemption pathways.
Live Updates

What's changed this month.

Curated tracking of LA implementation actions, legal interpretations, court rulings, and industry analysis. Refreshed monthly.

2026-05-19 LA Department of City Planning
Low-Rise Ordinance adopted
LAMC residential zoning amendments take effect alongside SB 79 on July 1, 2026. Adds 17,562 sites that retain ≥ 50% SB 79 capacity under local rules — meaning SB 79 will apply to ~29,000 fewer sites than the un-amended baseline.
2026-05-14 LA City Planning Commission
CPC adopts Phased Implementation Model and technical modifications
CPC-2026-1797 (Code Amendment) and CPC-2026-1798 (Modifications) approved May 14, 2026. Aligns LAMC procedures with SB 79's ministerial review and sets the official APN-level eligibility dataset.
2026-02-18 PLUM Committee
PLUM Committee findings published
Planning and Land Use Management Committee held hearing on SB 79 implementation framework. Findings support Phased Implementation Model methodology and identify open coordination items with HCD on industrial-zoned land treatment.