California’s housing reforms are being enforced, with the state using litigation, court orders, and suspension of local land use authority to ensure compliance, as demonstrated by the recent legal victory against Huntington Beach.
California’s population has increased slightly in recent years, but the state’s decades-long failure to build enough homes to meet demand has resulted in high rents and prices, making it difficult for people to afford to live in the state.
Governor Gavin Newsom announced over $52 million in federal grants to support local housing, infrastructure and homelessness initiatives, funding 90 projects across 53 counties.
A new proposal to build 768 housing units in downtown San Jose adds to California’s growing housing development pipeline, demonstrating that large, high-yield projects are needed to close the state’s housing production gap.
Federal attorneys argue that President Donald Trump’s continued federal control of California National Guard troops stationed in Los Angeles remains lawful due to an alleged ongoing “danger of rebellion,” despite California’s insistence that the deployment violates constitutional limits on presidential power and undermines state authority over its Guard.
Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas has appointed Assemblymember Buffy Wicks to chair a newly created Select Committee on Housing Construction Innovation to examine ways to reduce housing costs, speed construction, and align housing production with the state’s climate goals.
Homelessness is primarily caused by unaffordable housing, not addiction or mental illness, and is exacerbated by a lack of safety nets and the collapse of low-cost rentals.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Governor Gavin Newsom have joined a coalition of states suing the Trump administration over new restrictions placed on federal homelessness grants, arguing the policy is unlawful and will push tens of thousands of people back into homelessness.
The Legislative Analyst’s Office has released its annual fiscal outlook for the 2026-27 state budget, warning of a difficult financial environment and limited ability to manage spending shortfalls, with Medi-Cal costs projected to rise significantly and counties warning of potential service cuts.
Poverty in the Bay Area increased in 2023, with more than 245,000 residents falling below the poverty line, due to rising rents, cuts to federal and local assistance programs, and a cost of living that is outpacing wages.
Immigrants detained at California’s largest immigration detention center have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging inhumane and unlawful treatment, including inadequate medical care, excessive isolation, and denial of basic necessities.
Sausalito voters have overwhelmingly approved zoning changes allowing dense housing development and affordable senior units, signaling a shift in California’s housing politics and the increasing pressure on cities to comply with state housing mandates.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is leading a coalition of 15 attorneys general opposing the Trump administration’s decision to strip Temporary Protected Status from Venezuelan and Haitian immigrants, which could put hundreds of thousands at risk of deportation and have a significant economic and social impact.
Despite the passage of dozens of new laws, California’s housing crisis remains far from solved, but the foundation for a new housing era has been laid and progress is being made through small projects and a shift in the political culture to favor building rather than blocking.
Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig has claimed that California’s public assistance system is “completely corrupted” due to widespread fraud and weakened enforcement, while critics have noted that public assistance fraud is a small fraction of total benefits distributed nationwide.
An ICE officer shot a California man after he allegedly reversed his car toward the officers, leaving the victim’s family concerned about the use of force and questioning the official account of events.
The Housing Development Economic Feasibility and Implementation Analysis for Palo Alto has concluded that not a single development prototype would be financially viable under current market conditions, reflecting the broader economic and policy gridlock paralyzing housing production across California.
California has continued to fight against the growing prevalence of hate crimes, with Governor Gavin Newsom launching the California vs Hate initiative, a multilingual hotline and resource network, to provide a safe, anonymous reporting option for victims and witnesses of hate.
California’s parole system for youth offenders is failing to provide meaningful opportunities for rehabilitation, with a 62% denial rate and deep racial disparities, and must be replaced with a trauma-informed, community-anchored system that measures outcomes that matter.
San Diego has become a model for other cities in California seeking to increase housing production and reduce delays, by restructuring its planning and permitting processes, conducting full environmental analysis upfront, and providing density bonuses for projects near major transit hubs.