Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation last week allowing denser housing development around transit hubs in San Diego and cities across California.

Why it matters: It marks the state's most significant attempt to supercharge homebuilding, and San Diego trails other major U.S. cities when it comes to new apartment construction.

Reality check: San Diego already allows dense housing near transit, and loosening zoning restrictions doesn't guarantee high-rises get built quickly or offer widely affordable rents.

Driving the news: SB 79, authored by state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), allows private developers to build dense apartment complexes and multifamily homes near major transit stops, regardless of local restrictions.

• The law establishes zoning standards around train stations and major bus stops to authorize projects with greater height and density.
• Projects will be required to designate a certain percentage of units for low-income households (7% to 13% depending on the income category).

Along San Diego's transit lines, including MTS Trolley and SPRINTER stops, developers will be able to build up to:

• Eight stories adjacent to the stop.
• Six stories within a quarter-mile radius.
• Five stories located a quarter-to-a-half-mile from the stop

What they're saying: For decades, overly restrictive land use policies have driven up housing costs and forced Californians to move far away from jobs and transit or leave the state entirely, Wiener said.

• Allowing more homes to be built near public transportation will increase transit ridership, reduce traffic congestion and lower carbon emissions, he added.

Zoom in: San Diego's "recent and upcoming housing policy reforms" have "already anticipated the kind of changes this law calls for," Mayor Todd Gloria said in a statement.

• About 97% of affordable homes and 85% of all homes permitted in 2024 were located within a mile of a major transit stop, according to the city's latest housing report.
• El Cajon, Santee, parts of South Bay and areas between Oceanside and Escondido could see more high-rises, the Union-Tribune reported.

The other side: Opponents argue that developers already build enough market-rate housing units and that deregulating won't actually impact the affordability crisis.

• They say the bill will empower land grabbing and could incentivize acquisitions that displace low-income residents in existing affordable housing.
• San Diego has more than enough capacity for new housing in relation to the projected need, so "clearly it's not a zoning problem, it's a building problem," Geoff Hueter, chair of the advocacy group Neighbors For A Better San Diego, told Axios.

What's next: The law takes effect next July.

San Diego house hunters, this week may be the best time to buy.

Why it matters: Prices countywide will be 6.5% below seasonal peak, with nearly 18% more active listings than average, according to a Realtor.com analysis.

• San Diego's best buying window is Oct. 12-18, the same as it is nationally.

State of play: Right now, homebuyers have a bigger buffet of options and greater bargaining power than they've had in years — if they can afford to take the plunge.

• But mortgage rates hovering around 6% and high home prices still sideline many.
• Meanwhile, some homeowners — especially those sitting on low mortgage rates — are in no rush to sell and would rather pull listings than cut prices.

What they did: Realtor.com researchers analyzed several years' worth of metrics, including listing prices and inventory levels, to determine the best week to buy a home.

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📈 San Diego State University set new records for fundraising, applications and enrollment this year. (Union-Tribune)

🎮 The TwitchCon gaming convention returns this weekend, with games, panels and fan art drawing hundreds of streamers downtown. (CBS8)

🚦Those selfies from the diagonal crosswalk on the 101 in downtown Encinitas could look different as the Encinitas City Council considers replacing the iconic gateway sign's letters and replacing the neon lights with LED. (North Coast Current)

🍎 More than two-thirds of San Diego community college students struggle to afford housing and nutritious food, according to a recent survey. (NBC7)

A new exhibit showcasing San Diego's LGBTQ history opens inside City Hall today.

Why it matters: It honors the work of local organizations, politicians and activists who helped shape the LGBTQ rights movement, as queer and transgender rights and people are currently under attack.

"It is our hope that people who come through City Hall will stop by and realize that not only have we always been here, but that we've been part of the fabric of this city," Nicole Murray Ramirez, longtime activist and chair of the city's Human Relations Commission, told Axios.

Zoom in: Visitors see rare photographs and artifacts, including from WWII and the U.S. Naval ship that was named after Harvey Milk, at the free exhibit for LGBTQ History Month.

• It's on display through Nov. 5 from 8am-5pm, Monday-Friday in the building's lobby.