Gov. Brown has signed a bill that will make it easier for BART to develop thousands of new homes near its stations.

BART has said it wants to build 20,000 new housing units on property it owns across the Bay Area by 2040. At least 35 percent would be affordable.

Supporters say it will be a big step in easing the housing crisis.

“By signing this bill into law, the governor is sending a powerful message to residents throughout the Bay Area that the same old ‘Not In My Back Yard’ arguments will no longer be able to drown out their voices and calls for more affordable housing,” the bill’s co-author Assemblyman Tim Grayson (D-Concord) said Sunday.

Opponents included some Bay Area cities, which argued against BART having so much authority on zoning and building.

“The current regional housing crisis has shone a bright light on the need to accelerate development, especially in places where a transit infrastructure already exists,” BART General Manager Grace Crunican said in a statement.

The bill gives local cities and counties two years to update their zoning restrictions–like it or not.

BART is already involved in some development.

It was recently given the OK to build more than 500 homes next to the Lake Merritt Station.

“We have found that working closely with neighborhoods and local elected officials to consider community needs is not only respectful, it’s the most efficient way to get the job done,” Crunican said.

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