Housing

Los Angeles Lawsuit Challenges Landlords over Post-Wildfire Rent Gouging

By Kavita Boon-LongMay 31, 20260 comments

A couple displaced by the Eaton Fire has filed a civil lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court against their landlords, alleging they were charged nearly three times the legally permissible rent. The action, identified by advocates as the first private civil suit by a wildfire-displaced family, seeks to enforce California Penal Code § 396 and Los Angeles Municipal Code § 47.12, despite official warnings regarding the alleged violations.

CA Gov Candidates Tackle Housing Crisis; Local Resistance Hampers Reform

By David GreenwaldMay 28, 20260 comments

California’s gubernatorial race has become a focal point for housing reform, with Democratic candidates actively competing to propose the most comprehensive policies for increasing housing production and reducing development barriers. This intensified focus reflects the state’s persistent housing crisis and recent legislative efforts to encourage denser housing development near transit corridors and urban centers.

San Diego Housing Report Suggests California’s Housing Reforms May Be Beginning to Work

By David GreenwaldMay 20, 20261 comments

The California Housing Partnership’s 2026 Affordable Housing Needs Report indicated a 90 percent increase in affordable housing production in San Diego County over the past year, notwithstanding a decline in state and federal housing funding. This finding suggests California’s housing policies are beginning to influence the trajectory of the region’s affordability crisis.

California Targets Housing Crisis with New Affordable Unit Developments

By Vanguard AdministratorMay 18, 20260 comments

Governor Gavin Newsom announced progress on more than 380 affordable housing units under development across the Bay Area and Coachella Valley, with these projects, supported by California Climate Investments and the state’s Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program, presented as central to California’s broader strategy to expand affordable housing while advancing climate and transit goals.

Huntington Beach Fined $160,000 by Court for Housing Law Noncompliance

By Vanguard AdministratorMay 16, 20263 comments

A California Superior Court judge has mandated that the city of Huntington Beach incur escalating financial penalties for its non-compliance with state housing law. The order, stemming from a years-long legal dispute over the city’s failure to adopt a compliant housing element, imposes an initial $160,000 penalty and subsequent $50,000 monthly fines should violations persist.

Newsom Defends Balanced Budget as Counties Warn of Cuts to Homelessness, Health and Family Services

By David GreenwaldMay 15, 20260 comments

California Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled a revised 2026-27 budget proposal, which the administration asserts eliminates the state’s structural deficit through 2028 while preserving major investments in healthcare, education, housing, and homelessness programs, despite county leaders’ warnings that the plan compromises local governments’ capacity to sustain critical safety net services.

California Lawmakers Tackle Federal Housing Rule Harming Low-Income Families

By David GreenwaldMay 13, 20260 comments

California lawmakers and housing advocates are advancing Assembly Bill 2128, legislation designed to preempt a proposed federal housing rule that critics contend could exacerbate homelessness and destabilize low-income families. Authored by Assemblymember Matt Haney, the measure would prohibit California housing authorities and HUD-subsidized providers from imposing work requirements or time limits on tenants within federally assisted housing programs.

CA Housing Crisis Exposes Deep Divisions Among Dem Governor Candidates

By David GreenwaldMay 12, 20264 comments

California’s leading Democratic gubernatorial candidates articulated distinct approaches to the state’s escalating housing crisis during a recent forum. The discussions, moderated by New York Times columnist Ezra Klein, revealed both areas of consensus and significant policy divergences within the party, particularly concerning labor standards, local control, financing, and homelessness.

ACLU Files Discrimination Complaint against Riverside over Rejected Affordable Housing Project

By Hannah BriseñoMay 12, 20260 comments

The California Civil Rights Department has initiated an investigation into the City of Riverside, following a discrimination complaint filed by the ACLU of Southern California. The complaint alleges the city violated anti-discrimination statutes by rejecting a $20.1 million state HomeKey+ grant intended for the creation of permanent affordable housing for veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Steyer Discusses Housing Agenda, YIMBY Support on ‘Pod Save America’

By Katelyn LeongMay 11, 20262 comments

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer discussed his housing agenda, which includes proposals to expand housing supply and reduce costs, during a recent appearance on the “Pod Save America” podcast. A press release from his campaign indicated the candidate also addressed support from the YIMBY movement and criticism from corporate real estate interests.