California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill on Friday that will make it easier to build apartments near public transportation.

It’s a bill that Modesto City Councilman Chris Ricci urged state lawmakers to approve in an Op-Ed for Sun View in August.

The big picture: Senate Bill 79 was introduced into the Legislature by Sen. Scott Wiener (D–San Francisco). • It requires cities to permit more apartments and condos near certain public transportation stops, including BART and Caltrain. • Specifically, counties with more than 15 passenger rail stations will be required to approve housing developments within half a mile of the stations. The developments can be up to nine stories tall. • California YIMBY Action, the group pushing for the bill, said the new rules will apply to only eight

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