What SB 10 allows
Under Gov. Code § 65913.5, a city or county may pass an ordinance zoning any parcel for up to 10 homes, at a height it sets, if the parcel is:
- In a transit-rich area: within 1/2 mile of a major transit stop, or on a high-quality bus corridor (buses every 15 minutes at weekday peaks, every 20 minutes from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, and every 30 minutes from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends); or
- An urban infill site: in a Census urbanized area or urban cluster, with at least 75% of its perimeter next to urban uses, zoned residential or mixed-use with at least two-thirds residential.
Adopting the ordinance is exempt from CEQA, and the city council can use it even to override a voter-passed limit on zoning, with a two-thirds vote. Two kinds of land are excluded: very high fire hazard severity zones without fire mitigation, and public land a voter measure set aside as open space or parks.
What SB 10 doesn't do
| Common belief | What the law says |
|---|---|
| SB 10 lets me build 10 units | Only if your city adopts an SB 10 ordinance that covers your parcel |
| Projects under SB 10 skip CEQA | The exemption covers the rezoning, not the projects |
| SB 10 approvals are by right | Projects go through the city's normal process; over 10 units they can't be ministerial |
| SB 10 has lot-size limits | The statute sets none |
| A city can downzone later | No: once adopted, the city can't reduce the density it allowed |
Gov. Code § 65913.5(a), (d), (e). The last date to adopt a new ordinance is December 31, 2028.
Where SB 10 stands in Los Angeles
We found no SB 10 ordinance in City of Los Angeles records. The City Council opposed SB 10 in 2021, and the City met its housing element rezoning through CHIP instead. Elsewhere, use has been rare: San Diego dropped a proposed SB 10 opt-in from its 2023 Housing Action Package.
What works in LA instead
- SB 9: two homes and a lot split on a single-family lot, up to four homes, with no city action needed.
- SB 1123: up to 10 homes on a vacant single-family lot up to 1.5 acres.
- SB 684: up to 10 homes on a multifamily-zoned lot, each on its own lot.
- CHIP and the state density bonus: more homes in exchange for affordable units.
Questions
What is SB 10 in California?
SB 10 (Wiener, 2021) is Gov. Code § 65913.5. It lets a city or county pass an ordinance zoning a parcel for up to 10 homes, at a height the city chooses, if the parcel is in a transit-rich area or is an urban infill site. Adopting that ordinance is exempt from CEQA. It is optional: SB 10 doesn't rezone anything on its own.
Does SB 10 apply in Los Angeles?
Not today. We found no SB 10 ordinance adopted by the City of Los Angeles, and the City Council went on record opposing SB 10 in 2021. LA met its housing element rezoning through its Citywide Housing Incentive Program (CHIP) instead. In LA, the state laws that add homes on small lots without city action are SB 9 and SB 684 / SB 1123.
Is SB 10 the same as SB 9?
No. SB 9 applies automatically statewide and lets an owner of a single-family lot build two homes and split the lot, for up to four homes, approved ministerially. SB 10 does nothing until a city chooses to adopt an ordinance under it, and then it rezones specific parcels for up to 10 homes.
Can a project on SB 10-zoned land skip review?
The CEQA exemption covers the city's zoning ordinance, not the projects built under it. A project still goes through the city's normal approval process. A project of more than 10 units on SB 10-zoned land can't be approved ministerially and isn't exempt from CEQA.
When does SB 10 expire?
A city can't adopt a new SB 10 ordinance on or after January 1, 2029. An ordinance adopted before then stays in effect.
Related guides
Sources
- Gov. Code § 65913.5 (SB 10)
- SB 10 (Stats. 2021, ch. 163), bill text
- Pub. Res. Code § 21064.3 (major transit stop)
- LA City Council File 21-0002-S21 (position on SB 9 and SB 10)
- City of San Diego, Housing Action Package
Last reviewed October 23, 2026. General information, not legal advice; the statute and your city's own rules control.