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Pasadena council pauses parts of state housing law near transit to craft local plan
Summary
On June 8 the council adopted a first reading of an ordinance pausing parts of California’s SB 79 near several Pasadena transit stops while staff prepares a local transit‑oriented development alternative plan. The pause is limited, targets historic and low‑density sites, and includes scheduled check‑ins and an 18‑month sunset.
PASADENA, Calif. — The Pasadena City Council on June 8 voted for a first reading of an uncodified ordinance that delays parts of the state’s Abundant and Affordable Homes near Transit Act (SB 79) for selected sites near some Metro stations while the city develops a local plan.
The suspended provisions apply to SB 79 projects that would otherwise become eligible July 1, 2026 in Pasadena’s transit opportunity zones. Under the council action the pause will cover locally designated historic resources and selected lower‑density residential zones in key TOD areas while staff completes a “transit‑oriented development alternative plan” (TOAD) and submits required material to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
City planners said the delay is intended to buy time for a more site‑specific policy that preserves historic resources and steers the biggest, highest‑rise projects into corridors where the city wants them. Natalie Espinosa, senior planner, told the council that the proposed pause would not be indefinite: the ordinance includes an 18‑month limit from July 1, 2026, and staff will report interim check‑ins while HCD reviews the filing.
The ordinance as amended by the council excludes single‑family zones plus RM12 and RM16 (low‑density multifamily) and removes RM32/RM48 from the exemption list — a change council members said focuses protection on smaller neighborhoods and historically designated properties while leaving higher‑density sites able to move forward under state law. Council members also asked staff to return with maps and numeric tallies showing which parcels and what capacity are affected.
Supporters of immediate SB 79 implementation warned that any delay will slow construction of homes near transit and keep rents elevated. Several residents said the city needs more housing now and urged the council to allow the law to take effect. Other residents and preservation advocates asked the council to protect historic buildings and neighborhood form from a state‑imposed, one‑size‑fits‑all standard.
Councilmember Cole offered the measure and it passed first reading on a 5‑0 vote among members not recused; several council members were absent from the vote because they recused themselves for proximity to affected properties. Staff will file the ordinance with HCD, monitor the agency’s 60–90 day review, and return to council with progress reports and a proposed TOAD for further policy decisions.
What happens next: HCD will review the city’s filing under SB 79. Staff told the council it expects to return with substantive TOAD proposals within roughly six‑to‑nine months, and the council set an administrative check‑in during that period. The ordinance sunsets after 18 months if the city takes no further action.
