The housing crisis in America is now a nationwide issue, with cities like Phoenix, Atlanta, and Miami seeing housing costs rise even faster than in California, and the problem is not caused by ideology, but by the politics of land use and the privilege of homeownership.
La Passeggiata, an affordable housing development in Stockton, will transform excess state-owned land into 94 energy-efficient homes for low-income Californians, part of Governor Newsom’s initiative to address the nation’s affordable housing crisis.
A coalition of environmental and labor leaders is urging California lawmakers to halt a rushed effort to weaken the state’s foundational environmental law, citing overwhelming public support for the CEQA and opposition to legislative attempts to scale it back.
The June 2023 Quarterly Survey of Apartment Construction & Development Activity shows a decline in construction delays, but still reports labor availability and material issues, with a slight shift towards improvement in market conditions and a rebound in market confidence.
The housing crisis is a growing problem in the US, with millions of middle-class people struggling to afford homes, and it is not just a free market issue, but a systemic one caused by decades of artificial scarcity and artificial barriers to home ownership.
States across the country are stepping up to dismantle outdated zoning rules and encourage denser development to combat housing scarcity and inequality, while cities must step up to support the new laws or risk being left behind.
A new report from the Gender Equity Policy Institute found that women, especially Black women, single mothers, senior women, and women living alone, are disproportionately affected by California’s housing affordability crisis, and recommends increasing state investment in affordable housing, streamlining the permitting process, preserving existing affordable units, and integrating gender equality perspectives into housing policy.
California’s housing crisis is a long-term and systemic imbalance between supply and demand, rooted in decades of policy failures, exclusionary zoning, and political resistance to growth, and will not be solved by short-term market shifts or a few temporary price drops.
California lawmakers are focusing on increasing housing supply, but neglecting the people suffering most from the housing crisis, and the powerful landlord lobby is preventing meaningful tenant protections.
California’s housing crisis remains a major challenge, with cities struggling to meet production targets and state leaders failing to invest in solutions, despite promising local models and political will.
California is seeing a shift in the politics of housing, with new state legislation and a shift in the balance of power tilting towards reform, and while there are still challenges to overcome, the fight is no longer on the same old terrain.
California YIMBY leaders Nolan Gray and Brooke Pritchard discussed the state’s housing crisis, the need for statewide solutions, and the potential of Senate Bill 79 to promote dense housing near high-quality transit hubs and limit urban sprawl.
California State Senator Dr. Aisha Wahab’s Keeping Californians Housed Act, SB 436, has passed the Senate and now heads to the Assembly, extending the mandatory notice period for evictions from three days to 14 days to give renters more time to avoid eviction.
Gentrification is causing a decline in public transit ridership in Los Angeles, as low-income residents are being priced out of neighborhoods with strong bus and rail service, leading to a decrease in riders and undermining the state’s climate goals.
California State Senator Dr. Aisha Wahab is pushing a package of 13 bills to address the state’s affordability crisis, including measures to prevent digital discrimination, protect tenants from eviction, and streamline rebuilding processes in disaster-affected areas.
Davis needs to stop stifling growth, affordability, and opportunity by rethinking its housing policies and building out rather than up to meet its housing demands.
California’s housing crisis is causing middle-income families to be priced out of the state, with only 87,000 homes built annually and a shortage of “missing middle” housing, leading to increased commutes and displacement of households of color.
SB 607, a bill to reform the California Environmental Quality Act, has sparked debate between state leaders and environmental justice organizations, with opponents arguing that it would gut CEQA safeguards and supporters claiming it is necessary to streamline development and address California’s housing shortage.
SB 79, the Abundant & Affordable Homes Near Transit Act, has been passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee and is now moving to the Senate floor, aiming to increase housing supply, lower family housing costs, reduce reliance on cars, and support the state’s climate goals.
The Emergency Rental Assistance program was a success in reducing eviction rates, but it was not sustained due to a lack of fanfare, and the U.S. returned to its normal rate of seven eviction filings per minute.