State Sen. Scott Wiener’s sweeping transit-oriented housing bill got a key legislative boost Friday, increasing its chances of passage on the Senate floor by the end of the month.

The state is stepping into the legal battle over a proposed condominium project in San Mateo to defend a California law that prevents cities from rejecting multiunit housing that meets their local building rules.

Earlier this year, Wells Fargo committed to donate $1 billion to increase affordable housing nationwide. Specifically, the bank committed $1 billion in philanthropy through 2025 to “address the U.S. housing affordability crisis, including homelessness, available and affordable rentals, transitional housing and home ownership.”...

Access to safe and decent housing is a basic human need. Everyone deserves a secure place to live and raise their family. Yet owning, or even renting, a place to call home is increasingly out of reach for the average Californian.