http://westinmeansbusiness.com
** SB 79 Just Upzoned Berkeley's BART Stops — El Cerrito's Are Untouched ------------------------------------------------------------ I spent part of this week digging into the fine print of SB 79 — the new state law meant to force more housing near BART — and found something that surprised me: it doesn't actually apply the same way on both sides of the county line.
SB 79 took effect July 1. Where it applies, cities can no longer block housing that meets state density and height minimums within a half mile of a qualifying BART stop — up to 65 to 95 feet, and 100 to 160 homes per acre, depending on how close a project sits to the platform. But the law only reaches counties with more than 15 passenger rail stations, and Contra Costa County — home to El Cerrito, Kensington, and East Richmond Heights — has exactly 15 BART and Amtrak stops combined. One short. It's excluded, at least for now.
Alameda County isn't. So Berkeley's BART stations — Berkeley, Ashby, North Berkeley — are squarely inside the new rules. One BART stop away, at El Cerrito Plaza or El Cerrito del Norte, none of it applies yet.
In my view, that's worth knowing whether you're the type who'd rather not see an 8-story building go up near a quiet block, or the type who sees real upside in owning something inside one of these zones before more people catch on. Neither reaction is wrong — but right now, a lot of people don't even know which side of the line their address falls on.
Cities can still carve out limited exemptions, so it's not an automatic green light everywhere in that half-mile ring. But as of July 1, the default is that the state's numbers apply unless a city has specifically opted a site out.
If you own property — or are looking — anywhere near a BART station in Berkeley, or along the Albany/Berkeley line, reply with your address or cross streets and I'll check where it actually falls.
Check My Address (mailto:west@westinmeans.com?subject=SB%2079%20%26%20My%20Property&body=Hi%20Westin%20%E2%80%94%20here's%20my%20address%20or%20cross%20streets%2C%20curious%20whether%20it%20falls%20inside%20one%20of%20the%20new%20SB%2079%20zones%3A%20) Let me know if there is anything I can do to help Call/Text Westin Means 510-735-5685 Here are a few resources for Home Buyers & Sellers that I have curated. Search For Homes (https://westinmeans856.realscout.me/) https://www.canva.com/design/DAE6hZlOl9w/jSYnYVXz2T7c8nCY8W87CA/view?utm_content=DAE6hZlOl9w&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink
https://www.dropbox.com/s/y3v4t0j90matosy/Listing%20Presentation%20x%20TEAMFAST.pdf?dl=0
https://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/mortgage-rates
https://hmbt.co/ZpDiU3
Current Listings
** 3818 Suter St, Oakland, CA 94619 ------------------------------------------------------------ * Asking $649,000 * 3 Bed | 2 Bath * Approximately 1200 Sq Ft * Fully Remodeled in 2022 * Roof Replaced in 2024
View Listing (https://www.homes.com/property/3818-suter-st-oakland-ca/y6gy2y6tgz920/)
** 6606 Hagen Blvd, El Cerrito, CA 94530 ------------------------------------------------------------ * Asking $1,388,000 * 5 Bed | 4 Bath * 2,530 Sq Ft
View Listing (https://www.homes.com/property/6606-hagen-blvd-el-cerrito-ca/qwf1wh48746kn/)
** 1249 Heavenly Dr, Martinez, CA 94553 ------------------------------------------------------------ * Asking $849,000 * 4 Bed | 2 Bath * 1,564 Sq Ft
View Listing (https://www.homes.com/property/1249-heavenly-dr-martinez-ca/d0jw3qyscse54/) https://www.homes.com/property/3818-suter-st-oakland-ca/y6gy2y6tgz920/ https://www.homes.com/property/6606-hagen-blvd-el-cerrito-ca/qwf1wh48746kn/ https://www.homes.com/property/1249-heavenly-dr-martinez-ca/d0jw3qyscse54/
** County Level Data ------------------------------------------------------------ Alameda County Data (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/1510/alameda-county-ca/) Contra Costa County Data (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/3159/contra-costa-county-ca/) Marin County Data (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/625/marin-county-ca/) San Francisco County Data (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/3227/san-francisco-county-ca/) Santa Clara County Data (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/3136/santa-clara-county-ca/)
** City Level Data ------------------------------------------------------------ Alameda (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/16697/alameda-ca/) Berkeley (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/16992/berkeley-ca/) Concord (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/51518/concord-ca/) Fremont (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/97745/fremont-ca-94538/) Lafayette (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/25455/lafayette-ca/) Moraga (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/32942/moraga-ca/) Orinda (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/42569/orinda-ca/) Pleasant Hill (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/53925/pleasant-hill-ca/) San Francisco (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/20330/san-francisco-ca/) San Jose (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/33839/san-jose-ca/) Union City (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/41333/union-city-ca/) Albany (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/37073/albany-ca/) Castro Valley (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/30785/castro-valley-ca/) El Cerrito (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/51858/el-cerrito-ca/) Hayward (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/18518/hayward-ca/) Martinez (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/12592/martinez-ca/) Oakland (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/13072/oakland-ca/) Piedmont (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/6495/piedmont-ca/) Richmond (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/26751/richmond-ca/) San Leandro (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/13698/san-leandro-ca/) San Lorenzo (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/47550/san-lorenzo-ca/) Walnut Creek (https://www.zillow.com/home-values/34637/walnut-creek-ca/)
My goal is to give my clients the truth about the market, and then give them the tools they'll need to succeed.
I am always available
Westin Means (510) 735-5685 (tel:*15107355685) west@westinmeans.com DRE 02068528 westinmeansbusiness.com
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