Opinion: Trump’s Authoritarian Overreach Gives Newsom His Chance to Lead the Opposition
Just a few weeks ago, Gavin Newsom’s political future seemed like a slow fade into irrelevance. Poll…
Opinion: The Trump Administration Is Manufacturing a New Homelessness Crisis in California
The Trump administration is actively undermining the Emergency Housing Voucher program, which helps thousands of vulnerable Californians secure housing, in order to push them back onto the streets, and is also using bureaucratic means to punish organizations that serve marginalized communities.
Opinion: California Is Right to Build More Housing — But Equity Can’t Be an Afterthought
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.
No Money for Homelessness in Legislative Budget Plan Despite Statewide Crisis
California’s joint budget plan for fiscal year 2025–26 does not include funding for the state’s primary program to address homelessness, HHAP, and instead only includes $50 million for the Department of Housing and Community Development’s operations.
Governor Newsom Challenges Trump’s Unconstitutional Use of Federal Power
California Governor Gavin Newsom has issued a strong rebuke to President Trump’s unauthorized use of federal military power in Los Angeles, calling it authoritarianism and warning of the dangers of a country sliding into tyranny.
Berkeley Homeless Union Calls for Action after Chaotic Police Raid
Community groups are calling for a full investigation into the Berkeley Police Department’s surprise raid on an West Berkeley encampment, which they describe as dangerous, disproportionate, and illegal.
Opinion: Now a Less Encouraging View of the Housing Crisis
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.
OPINION: Newsom Is Calling the Bluff on Prop. 36’s Gamble
California voters approved Prop. 36, which would raise penalties for repeat offenders while offering treatment-or-felony alternatives, but the measure lacked a funding mechanism, leaving Governor Gavin Newsom to decide whether to veto the budget proposal that would provide $110 million in one-time money to implement the law.
Newsom Deploys 800 Law Enforcement Officers to Los Angeles Amid Unrest
California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced the deployment of over 800 state and local law enforcement officers to Los Angeles in response to unrest triggered by federal actions under President Trump, while the state’s commitment to protecting First Amendment rights while drawing a hard line on criminal acts is reiterated.
California Sues Trump Administration over Transgender Student Policies
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration for unconstitutional and unlawful threats targeting transgender students in public schools.
Op-Ed | The Ground Is Shifting on California Housing Policy—Finally
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.
Op-Ed | We’ve Opened the Tap—But California Hasn’t Turned the Water On
California is making progress in addressing its housing crisis with the passage of Senate Bill 79 and efforts to reform the California Environmental Quality Act, but the cost of building affordable housing remains a major obstacle.
California’s Housing Crisis Demands Bold Action, Say YIMBY Leaders
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.
Controller’s Audit Finds Major Failures in LA Housing Department’s Oversight of Affordable Housing
A new audit by Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia found that the Housing Department is failing to protect tenants and enforce basic standards across thousands of affordable housing units in the city, resulting in widespread violations and a lack of oversight.
California Coalition Demands $260M for Victim Services Amid Federal Cuts
A coalition of law enforcement, lawmakers, victim advocates, and service providers is urging Governor Gavin Newsom and the state Legislature to include $260 million in the final budget to protect critical services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and trafficking.
Assembly Passes Safer Communities through Opportunity Act, Expanding Access to Pretrial Diversion for Nonviolent Felonies
The California State Assembly passed Assembly Bill 1231, which would allow judges to offer pretrial diversion for people charged with certain nonviolent felonies, providing them with rehabilitative services and reducing recidivism.
Transit-Oriented Housing Bill SB 79 Advances in California Senate
SB 79, a bill authored by Senator Scott Wiener, aims to legalize mid-rise housing near transit stops and on land owned by local transit agencies, allowing for up to seven story buildings and permitting transit agencies to build housing at the same or greater density.
California State Senator Padilla Condemns ICE Raid in San Diego
California State Senator Steve Padilla condemned an ICE raid in San Diego, which targeted workers rather than dangerous criminals, and urged support for SB 580 to strengthen legal clarity and statewide standards for immigration enforcement.
California Lawmakers Push for Longer Eviction Notice Period
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.
Op-Ed | Gentrification Is Undermining Public Transit—and That Should Alarm Us All
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.