California bill paves way for more housing near transit hubs. Why do some LA leaders oppose it?

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday signed a new law that could help ease California's housing crisis.

The law removes barriers, allowing apartments to be built near busy transit hubs. The goal is to help alleviate the housing shortage, but some local leaders say the plan is flawed.

The law encourages more housing construction by allowing developers to build affordable multi-family housing near public transit stations throughout California, even if local zoning laws would normally prohibit it.

"It does allow mid-rise apartment buildings within a half a mile of Metro stations, Metrolink and Rapid bus service where the bus lines are physically separated," said state Sen. Scott Wiener, a San Francisco Democrat.

Wiener says his bill is critical in helping California get out of a housing shortage crisis.

"We have a huge housing shortage in California. It's true in L.A., it's true in the Bay Area," Wiener said. "Housing costs are through the roof, and it's pushing out families, pushing out middle class, working class people. It's fueling homelessness. It's terrible for our economy."

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Traci Park says the legislation fails to address how to navigate around building more housing near mass transit areas that are already overly congested with traffic and more.

"It effectively rezones huge portions of L.A. overnight. We're going to have multi-story apartment towers in residential neighborhoods," Park said. "This is an effort to Manhattan-ize Los Angeles."