California housing breakthrough could put taller buildings in single-family communities

A CONTROVERSIAL HOUSING BILL that would pave the way for more apartment buildings near major bus stops and train and subway stations across urban California is one step closer to becoming law after its author struck a last-minute deal with a long-time political foe, one of the state’s most powerful labor groups. 

The State Building and Construction Trades Council, which represents union construction workers, agreed to drop its opposition to Senate Bill 79 in exchange for an amendment that would require some of the projects that make use of the bill to hire union workers.