CALIFORNIA — Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer discussed his housing agenda, support from the YIMBY movement and criticism from corporate real estate interests during a recent interview on the “Pod Save America” podcast, according to a press release issued Friday by Steyer’s campaign team.
According to Steyer’s press team, the discussion focused on plans to build more housing, lower housing costs for Californians and address barriers to development across the state. The interview also touched on “the special interests spending big against Steyer and his change agenda, including the California Association of Realtors,” the release stated.
According to the release, “the episode aired this morning ahead of Steyer’s participation in the California Gubernatorial Candidates Housing Forum, moderated by Ezra Klein.” The press release included excerpts from Steyer’s conversation on “Pod Save America.”
According to Steyer’s press team, Steyer discussed how the state could encourage local governments to build more housing.
“Cities and counties used to rely on real estate taxes, local real estate taxes. But nowadays they’re relying very much on the state to send them money. So when the state says ‘we want you to permit 20,000 houses here and build them,’ they have been relying on the state to send them the money,” Steyer said, according to the release.
On the same topic, Steyer added, “In some parts of California, the fee to build a house is up to 20 percent of the cost to build the house, which is amazing…And it’s not like these are wicked people who are somehow trying to rip people off. They are literally terrified that they’re going to put themselves in a position where they cannot take care of people, they cannot educate people.”
According to the release, Steyer asserted, “I understand one size doesn’t fit all, but the truth is we need to build more houses.”
During the interview, Steyer was also asked about how cities could be held accountable for building more housing.
“You’re asking, ‘Do you order them to do it or you work with them to do it?’ And, of course the answer is, both. It’s got to be a relationship, something where you collaborate and work together,” Steyer said, according to his press team.
“The YIMBY people have endorsed me. But the truth is, the reason there’s a YIMBY movement is because there’s a very strong NIMBY movement,” Steyer added.
According to the release, Pod Save America also discussed with Steyer what it described as the irony of him saying, “I’m going to build a million houses,” while corporate real estate interests are spending money to oppose his campaign.
“The realtors are much more worried about the fact that I’m going to protect renters from spikes in cost and I am going to push against landlords when I think they are being abusive,” Steyer said, according to the release.
He continued, “I am going to raise taxes on billionaires and big companies. But do I think that I’m the person in straits who understands business by far the best? Yes. When I’ve taken on these corporate special interests I’ve done it on behalf of working people.”
According to Steyer’s press team, he also discussed the role of a governor in lowering housing costs and streamlining development approvals.
“In terms of housing when you talk about all the different agencies permitting, [they are] overlapping, contradictory, expensive, time consuming. The big thing about housing is it takes a really long time to get it done,” Steyer said, according to the release.
Steyer added, “I think it’s better to simplify and actually coordinate so that the people who are at the end of the decision tree get faster, clearer decisions that are not contradictory. That’s a management test.”
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Beccera for governor.
“The interview also touched on “the special interests spending big against Steyer and his change agenda, including the California Association of Realtors,” the release stated.”
That’s certainly an unexpected (and frightening) claim, since CAR has literally created and funded a YIMBY organization themselves. CAR and YIMBYs are fully aligned.
https://www.caforhomes.org/
If CAR is not supporting this YIMBY candidate, which (even-worse) candidate ARE they supporting? In other words, will the REAL YIMBY please stand up? (Sorry – some of you can sit down, since I meant the “worst” YIMBY candidate.)