What New Transit-Housing Rules Could Mean Near Century City

Century City is seeing two separate transit-related developments this summer: active construction for the future Metro D Line station and a new state housing framework that could affect development near qualifying transit. For residents, workers and businesses, the construction impacts are immediate. The housing effects remain conditional.

What changed on July 1

California Senate Bill 79 took effect on July 1, 2026. The law establishes statewide transit-oriented housing rules that can allow additional density or floor area near qualifying rail and bus stops, subject to the law’s requirements and local implementation.

Los Angeles adopted its Low-Rise Ordinance and Phased Implementation Ordinance before that statewide effective date. Los Angeles City Clerk records show both ordinances became effective June 30, 2026. Together, the local measures create a phased approach rather than immediately applying the full statewide framework across every transit area in the city.

The Los Angeles Times has reported that Los Angeles is using a lower-rise local strategy while broader implementation proceeds. That does not mean every property near Century City or the future station automatically received new height, density or multifamily development rights.

What Los Angeles Planning materials show about Century City

Los Angeles City Planning’s SB 79 phased-implementation methodology identifies an analysis zone called PURex-Century City. In the methodology table, the zone is classified as 100% high and highest resource, 0% moderate resource and 0% low resource. It is therefore not listed as a primarily low-resource zone eligible for the table’s 40% SB 79 density and floor-area permits.

That classification is not a parcel-by-parcel zoning determination. City Planning says its related maps and resources are draft, exploratory and based on initial analysis. Property owners, developers and prospective buyers should check the city’s current official mapping, zoning records and applicable planning documents before drawing conclusions about an individual parcel.

Four separate concepts matter here: a transit-oriented development analysis zone, an exploratory eligibility map, an adopted ordinance and an approved development project. Century City’s appearance in an analysis document does not show that a specific project has been proposed, approved, funded or scheduled.

Construction is the immediate issue

Metro’s July 2026 Century City Station look-ahead describes ongoing work behind K-rail, potholing near Constellation Boulevard and Avenue of the Stars, single-lane traffic operations and temporary sidewalk closures. The notice also includes intermittent nighttime closures and pedestrian detours. Metro’s schedule and traffic controls may change as work progresses.

Metro says access to Westfield Mall and 1999 Avenue of the Stars will be maintained. The notice also identifies continued pedestrian access through the south side of Constellation Boulevard, the Avenue of the Stars crosswalk and the Solar Way crosswalk.

What this means for Century City readers

For commuters and workers, the documented near-term effects are lane changes, slower or redirected vehicle movements, sidewalk detours and nighttime construction around the future station. Pedestrians should follow posted routes rather than assume that a familiar crossing or sidewalk will remain open.

For local businesses, maintained access does not eliminate the possibility of temporary inconvenience from lane controls, detours or nighttime work. For property owners and developers, future housing or redevelopment opportunities will depend on parcel eligibility, applicable zoning, later city guidance, project filings, approvals, financing and construction decisions.

For renters and residents, additional housing near transit remains a possibility rather than an immediate promise of new apartments or a confirmed change in neighborhood conditions. The policy is real and already effective, but its Century City consequences are not a blanket automatic rezoning.

What to watch next

The next useful checkpoints are updated City Planning eligibility maps, implementation guidance, parcel-level planning records, individual development filings and revised Metro construction notices. Until those records are available, Century City should not be described as uniformly upzoned.

Sources

• Los Angeles City Planning SB 79 resources
• Metro Century City Station July 2026 look-ahead
• Los Angeles City Clerk ordinance records
• Los Angeles Times SB 79 guide