A grassroots coalition known as Our Neighborhood Voices is mobilizing once again, this time to oppose SB 79, a bill that would mandate high-density housing construction in traditional single-family neighborhoods across California.
The bill, which passed the Senate Local Government Committee by a razor-thin margin of 4–3, is now headed to the Senate Appropriations Committee. If signed into law, SB 79 would override local zoning rules to permit buildings up to 15 stories tall within a half-mile of transit stops—including not only rail, but also many ordinary bus lines.
Supporters of the bill argue it’s a necessary move to address California’s housing shortage, but critics say it gives too much power to speculative developers while diminishing the character and livability of longstanding communities.
According to Our Neighborhood Voices, over 1,000 messages were sent to lawmakers in under eight hours in response to the bill—an outpouring the group credits with swaying key votes in committee. One senator, Steven Choi, reportedly said his office was “bombarded” with constituent messages and subsequently voted no.
The group is now urging concerned Californians to contact members of the Appropriations Committee ahead of the next vote. In a recent email, they highlighted that while several senators are considered strong opponents of the bill, just a few more “no” votes would be enough to stop it in its tracks.
“We believe the threat this bill poses is real,” their message stated. “If we can persuade just two of these three [undecided senators], SB 79 is dead.”
The push marks a broader effort by local activists to preserve neighborhood identity and local decision-making in the face of statewide development mandates. While the group’s messaging has drawn support from homeowners, it has also stirred debate among housing advocates who argue more supply—regardless of where it’s built—is the only real solution to California’s affordability crisis.
As the legislation moves forward, both sides are digging in for what’s shaping up to be a defining battle in the state’s long-running housing debate.
