The Infill Insiders

Workbench
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Decoding California's housing policy for successful development.

Episodes

  1. JAN 14

    Inside SB79 California's New Transit-Oriented Upzoning Law

    What is SB 79? SB 79 is California's landmark transit-oriented housing upzoning bill, passed in 2025 after eight years of legislative attempts. The law requires certain jurisdictions to allow mid-rise apartment buildings (typically 4-7 stories) near major transit stops.   Guest: Aaron Eckhouse Regional Planning Program Director, California YIMBY Aaron has spent eight years working on transit-oriented upzoning legislation in California, from SB 27 and SB 50 to the successful passage of SB 79 in 2025.   Host: Sibley Simon Principal and Impact Development Executive, Workbench Host of The Infill Insiders   Key Takeaways Historic Achievement: First successful statewide transit-oriented upzoning after 8 years of attemptsNarrow Victory: Passed by one vote on multiple occasions—every vote countedPolitical Reality: Bill was trimmed significantly to secure passage; expansion may come if it proves successfulImplementation Timeline: Most provisions take effect July 1, 2026; some penalties delayed until January 2027City Options: Jurisdictions can create their own qualifying plans or delay implementation for certain areasPractical Guidance: Developers should focus on sites that can be built lot-line to lot-line to maximize density bonus law benefitsFuture Cleanup: Expect cleanup legislation to address measurement ambiguities and other technical issues  Key Provisions Height Limits: Up to 75 feet in Tier 1 zones (highest), with lower tiers at 65 feet and 55 feetDensity: Up to 120 units per acre in top tier zonesFAR (Floor Area Ratio): Up to 3.5 residential FAR in top tier zonesDistance: Applies within quarter-mile and half-mile radii of qualifying transit stopsEffective Date: July 1, 2026 for most qualifying jurisdictions  Where It Applies Qualifying Counties: Must have 15+ Tier 1 or Tier 2 rail transit stopsUrban Transit Counties: Sacramento, Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Orange (soon), San DiegoTransit Types: Heavy rail, light rail, commuter rail, and qualifying Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) linesCity Size Threshold: Half-mile radius provisions only apply in cities over 35,000 population  What It Doesn't Cover Most of California (limited to major transit counties)Contra Costa County (specifically excluded)Santa Cruz County and other non-qualifying countiesAreas more than a mile walking distance from transitVery high fire hazard severity zones (can be excluded)Sites with existing affordable or rent-controlled housing (7-year lookback)  Impact Assessment Potential Benefits Significant Zone Capacity: Creates substantial new housing capacity near transitClimate Goals: Reduces car dependency by enabling housing where people can use transitTransit Ridership: More residents near transit supports system viabilityHousing Production: Enables "workhorse" mid-rise multifamily in high-demand areas  Challenges & Limitations Geographic Restrictions: Only applies in a small fraction of CaliforniaDensity Bonus Interaction: Complex calculations may limit project feasibilityInclusionary Requirements: 10% very low income requirement plus local inclusionary ordinancesDistance Measurement Ambiguity: "Closest edge" language may create disputesAnti-Displacement Provisions: 7-year lookback may block beneficial redevelopment

    1h 12m
  2. California's New Infill Housing CEQA Exemption

    11/26/2025

    California's New Infill Housing CEQA Exemption

    Sibley and Aaron Ekhouse from California YIMBY, dissect California's groundbreaking new CEQA exemption for infill housing development, passed as part of AB 130. This legislation represents a major shift in how California approaches environmental review for dense, climate-smart housing projects in urban areas. 00:00 - Introduction & Guest Welcome 00:33 - Aaron's Role at California YIMBY 01:01 - The Eight-Year Journey to CEQA Reform 01:21 - What is AB 130 and Why It Matters 02:08 - Reading the Law: Where to Find It 03:09 - The Environmental Case for Infill Housing 04:06 - Reframing the Debate: Infill as the Solution 05:25 - The Real Problem: Uncertainty, Not Just Cost 06:07 - Understanding the New Exemption 06:43 - Who This Law Applies To 09:52 - What Makes a Location "Urban Infill" 15:24 - Density Requirements Explained 21:37 - Environmental Site Restrictions 28:15 - The Habitat Protection Question 35:42 - Objective Design Standards Requirement 41:18 - Labor Standards and Prevailing Wage 44:29 - The Two-Track System Under SB 6 48:59 - Preventing Lawsuits vs. Reducing Review Costs 50:29 - Observable Criteria Creates Predictability 51:36 - Removing Political Discretion 52:14 - The Power of Clear Rules 52:58 - The Dog That Didn't Bark 53:26 - Grading the Bill's Success 54:47 - What Needs Improvement 55:40 - What's Next: Cost Reduction 56:07 - The Cost Crisis 56:55 - Building Code Reform 57:31 - Making Legal Housing Economically Viable 57:51 - Closing Thoughts Guest Aaron Ekhouse - Local and Regional Policy Program Director, California YIMBY 8 years with California YIMBYInstrumental in drafting and passing the CEQA exemption legislationWorks with local governments on implementing state housing laws Key Takeaways What the Law DoesWhy It MattersQualification Criteria HighlightsKey Innovation Host -- Sibley Simon, Principal, Workbench Sibley leads the Workbench development team's impact focused projects geared towards creating more affordable housing without public subsidy. With years of experience driving legislative progress, he’s forged strong alliances with leaders dedicated to tackling California’s housing equity challenges. Before joining Workbench, Sibley founded numerous companies and created an impact investment fund to spur new workforce and affordable housing development. ⁠https://www.workbenchbuilt.com/people/sibley-simon⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sibleyverbeck⁠ Who Are The Infill Insiders? The Infill Insiders break down the highly complex process of infill housing development in California. Host and principal developer, Sibley Simon, shares Workbench's experience to teach developers and land owners how to use the many state housing laws to successfully develop infill housing, while showing jurisdictions what makes the process more efficient, and encouraging elected officials and anyone interested to face the big challenges that still remain in housing creation. Join us and become more effective at creating infill housing. Socials and Contact Instagram: @workbenchbuilt Web: workbenchbuilt.com/theinfillinsiders Email: insiders@workbenchbuilt.com ⁠⁠https://x.com/workbenchbuilt⁠⁠ References ⁠https://www.hcd.ca.gov/⁠ ⁠https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=65941.1⁠. Credits Recording, Editing and Animation: Josh Bootz Assistant Producer: Wednesday Manners -- California | State Housing Laws | Infill Development | Santa Cruz |  Housing Santa Cruz County | California Affordable Housing | Affordable Housing Developer | Support Affordable Housing | Build Affordable Homes | California Living | Housing For All | Affordable Living | Housing Solutions |  Community Development

    57 min
  3. Who Are The Infill Insiders? - Intro

    SEASON 1 TRAILER

    Who Are The Infill Insiders? - Intro

    Listen in to hear about what we'll be talking about in our upcoming Podcast, The Infill Insiders. We here at Workbench are developers helping to solve the state's housing crisis by creating denser infill housing that is good for residents and communities, environmentally sustainable, and less car oriented. We want to have more impact, so this podcast is going to share what we’ve learned. Whether you're a developer or part of a jurisdiction’s permitting department, you'll learn what your rights and obligations are under current state law. We'll share examples from our own work, and we'll get into the details on the latest guidance from the California Department of Housing & Community Development, what courts have ruled, and how everything is evolving year after year. Buckle up because we can't wait to share our knowledge with you! Socials & Contact Questions & Ideas: ⁠insiders@workbenchbuilt.com⁠ Workbench: workbenchbuilt.com/theinfillinsiders YouTube: @workbenchbuilt Instagram: ⁠@workbenchbuilt⁠ Twitter: https://x.com/workbenchbuilt Host -- Sibley Simon, Partner, Workbench Sibley leads the Workbench development team's impact focused projects geared towards creating more affordable housing without public subsidy. With years of experience driving legislative progress, he’s forged strong alliances with leaders dedicated to tackling California’s housing equity challenges. Before joining Workbench, Sibley founded numerous companies and created an impact investment fund to spur new workforce and affordable housing development. https://www.workbenchbuilt.com/people/sibley-simon https://www.linkedin.com/in/sibleyverbeck Who Are The Infill Insiders? The Infill Insiders break down the highly complex process of infill housing development in California. Host and principal developer, Sibley Simon, shares Workbench's experience to teach developers and land owners how to use the many state housing laws to successfully develop infill housing, while showing jurisdictions what makes the process more efficient, and encouraging elected officials and anyone interested to face the big challenges that still remain in housing creation. Join us and become more effective at creating infill housing. References https://www.hcd.ca.gov/ https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=65941.1. Credits Recording, Editing & Animation: Josh Bootz Assistant Producer: Wednesday Manners -- California | State Housing Laws | Infill Development | Santa Cruz | Housing Santa Cruz County | California Affordable Housing | Affordable Housing Developer | Support Affordable Housing | Build Affordable Homes | California Living | Housing For All | Affordable Living | Housing Solutions | Community Development

    3 min
  4. Why An SB330 Pre-application Is Essential For Every Infill Housing Project

    11/04/2025

    Why An SB330 Pre-application Is Essential For Every Infill Housing Project

    Sibley meets with Clay Toombs, Senior Development Manager at Workbench, to discuss SB-330 pre-applications. We talk about what submitting the application really means, our top tips for getting it right and when to resubmit one, what to make sure the jurisdiction does and doesn’t do and other best practices. Host -- Sibley Simon, Principal, Workbench Sibley leads the Workbench development team's impact focused projects geared towards creating more affordable housing without public subsidy. With years of experience driving legislative progress, he’s forged strong alliances with leaders dedicated to tackling California’s housing equity challenges. Before joining Workbench, Sibley founded numerous companies and created an impact investment fund to spur new workforce and affordable housing development. https://www.workbenchbuilt.com/people/sibley-simon https://www.linkedin.com/in/sibleyverbeck Guest -- Clay Toombs, Senior Development Manager,Workbench Clay is a member of Workbench’s development team, managing the entitlement and permitting process for assigned projects. Prior to joining Workbench, Clay was an independent land-use consultant and contract project manager for 10 years. He holds a Master of Real Estate Development, a Master of Business Administration, and a B.S. in Aeronautical Management Technology, all from Arizona State University. https://www.workbenchbuilt.com/people/clay-toombs https://www.linkedin.com/in/claytoombs/ Who Are The Infill Insiders? The Infill Insiders break down the highly complex process of infill housing development in California. Host and principal developer, Sibley Simon, shares Workbench's experience to teach developers and land owners how to use the many state housing laws to successfully develop infill housing, while showing jurisdictions what makes the process more efficient, and encouraging elected officials and anyone interested to face the big challenges that still remain in housing creation. Join us and become more effective at creating infill housing. Socials and Contact Instagram: @workbenchbuilt Web: workbenchbuilt.com/theinfillinsiders Email: insiders@workbenchbuilt.com ⁠https://x.com/workbenchbuilt⁠ References https://www.hcd.ca.gov/ https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=65941.1. Credits Recording, Editing and Animation: Josh Bootz Assistant Producer: Wednesday Manners -- California | State Housing Laws | Infill Development | Santa Cruz |  Housing Santa Cruz County | California Affordable Housing | Affordable Housing Developer | Support Affordable Housing | Build Affordable Homes | California Living | Housing For All | Affordable Living | Housing Solutions |  Community Development

    1h 5m

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About

Decoding California's housing policy for successful development.

Information

  • Creator
    Workbench
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    4
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Workbench
  • Show Website
    The Infill Insiders