MEHC letter of support for SB 79

On August 28, 2025 MEHC sent a letter of support to Assemblymember Connolly in regards to SB 79. You can read it below.

The Marin Environmental Housing Collaborative (MEHC) urges you to vote yes on SB 79. SB

79 is a commonsense step to supporting our transit and solving our housing crisis. Marin County has fallen woefully behind in supplying sufficient affordable housing to meet our needs. Too much of our workforce has to commute from afar, and our seniors and children are being forced to relocate because housing is so sparce and expensive. SB 79 will help us reverse this trend.

MEHC has been dismayed to see the misinformation surrounding SB 79. There is discussion in Marin that SB 79 will remove local control and result in high-rises throughout our single family neighborhoods. It’s also been claimed that SB 79 will apply to current and future bus stops. This is not the case. We hope that you base your vote on the facts, not the hype. The facts are that the law applies only to existing transit stops, not future extensions. It does not apply to Marin bus service. The only impacted stops are the Marin SMART train and ferry stations, which are considered Tier 3 transit stops. They would subject to the following default zoning.

• Up to 7 stories for projects adjacent to a transit stop

• Up to 5 stories for projects within a ¼ mile

• From ¼-½ mile: No SB 79 height bonus (existing local heights apply)

Further, local jurisdictions do retain control. They can develop their own plans, provided that the plan achieves comparable density near the transit stops. The reality is that very little land in Marin will be impacted by SB 79. I have attached a map which shows the impacted area – it’s all in just about 1% of Marin’s land.

As a supporter of transit, you understand how important ridership is. More housing near the SMART stations is the most cost-effective measure we have to support the SMART train system. Please vote yes on SB 79.