SANDAG Opposes Housing & Transit Bill
San Diego County, California — The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) is an agency that plans and builds large-scale transportation projects in San Diego County. The agency voted on June 13, 2025, to oppose a bill that would allow more homes and businesses near transit.
“[Senate Bill 79] would not be the right tool for many cities in our region & state. It’s too much, it’s too dense, its too tall”, said the SANDAG Board of Directors Chair & Solana Beach Mayor Lesa Heebner.
The bill is Senate Bill 79 (SB 79) in the California State Legislature.
It’s authors include:
Senator Scott Weiner
Assemblymember Buffy Wicks
Assemblymember Matt Haney
Assemblymember Alex Lee
Co-sponsors of the bill include the progressive transportation organization Streets For All and the climate action organization Greenbelt Alliance.
At the time of this article, the bill has passed the Senate and is working its way through committees in the Assembly. If it passes the Assembly and another Senate vote, the Governor may sign the bill into law or veto it.
The bill would also expand property rights by allowing people who own land near transit to build more homes on their property. But SANDAG Directors opposed the idea.
”This is communist socialist type insanity”, said John Duncan, Mayor of Coronado & SANDAG Director.
“I oppose 79 with every fiber of my being”, added Steve Vaus, Mayor of Poway & SANDAG Director.
The City of San Diego supports housing near transit and their Council President, Joe LaCava, attempted to persuade SANDAG Directors to reduce their opposition to SB 79 and leave the door open for amendments to the bill.
However, the City of San Diego only has 2 seats on SANDAG’s 21-member board and 1 seat on the Executive Committee–despite making up over 40% of the County’s population. Council President LaCava was shut down.
In an Orange County Register commentary this month, San Diego Congressman Scott Peters and Glendale Congresswoman Laura Friedman voiced their strong support for building housing near transit.
“…according to the Mineta Center at San Jose State University, California residents who live near transit typically spend 40 percent less per year on transportation than residents who are more car-dependent”, they said.
During public comment at the June 13 SANDAG meeting, several advocates spoke in favor of the bill and argued that cities should allow people to live near transit investments made possible by their tax dollars.
"Many of our transit stations are not surrounded by homes, cities simply pocket the money and ignore housing", said Saad Asad, a Housing & Climate Advocate.
SANDAG’s vote allows the agency to use the public’s tax dollars to fly people to Sacramento and lobby politicians against Senate Bill 79—as they have done in the past for bills they’ve opposed.
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