SB50 would have eased the development of small- and medium-size apartment and condominium projects by raising height limits, removing density restrictions and reducing parking requirements.
Under the bill, cities could not have blocked residential buildings of at least four or five stories within half a mile of rail stations and ferry terminals, provided they met other local design standards.
The state would have designated “jobs-rich areas” — higher-income census tracts close to employment opportunities and good schools — under a zoning preemption for density limits and parking requirements.
A streamlined process to convert vacant plots and homes in residential areas to multifamily housing of up to four units would have essentially eliminated single-family zoning in California, except in small coastal communities and areas at high risk of fire.