SB 79 & the Housing Transformation of El Camino Real
active• millbrae
Millbrae is one of the most dramatically impacted cities in the Bay Area under SB 79, California's transit-oriented housing law effective July 1, 2026. The Millbrae BART/Caltrain station is a Tier 1 qualifying stop — the highest density tier under the law — meaning parcels within a half mile of Millbrae Station can now support significantly taller and denser residential development than local zoning previously allowed, with the greatest density permitted within a quarter mile. For Millbrae, this sweeps in much of the El Camino Real corridor, downtown residential blocks, and the transit station area itself. The city adopted its 2040 General Plan and Downtown & El Camino Real Specific Plan in 2022 — a long-term framework for sustainable, mixed-use development in downtown Millbrae near the Millbrae Station — but SB 79 now adds state-level density floors on top of the city's own plan. The city is simultaneously implementing a streetscape improvement plan for El Camino Real, funded by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
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Related cause: Development & Neighborhoods
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