California Housing Crisis Archives

California Lawmakers Propose $11.25 Billion Bond to Confront Housing Crisis

By David M. GreenwaldJune 23, 202616 comments

California lawmakers and Governor Gavin Newsom announced an agreement to place an $11.25 billion affordable housing and homeownership bond before voters in November 2026. The proposed Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026 aims to address the state’s persistent housing affordability crisis by funding construction, preservation, and rehabilitation of affordable housing, alongside expanding homeownership opportunities and supporting veterans’ housing programs.

Sacramento County Vote Highlights Progress and Persistent Obstacles in California’s Housing Push

By David M. GreenwaldJune 20, 20263 comments

Sacramento County supervisors unanimously approved the Upper Westside Plan, a 9,300-home development west of Natomas, a decision that reflects California’s evolving approach to housing production despite considerable environmental opposition and local community resistance.

Riverside Rejects Homeless Housing Project Amid Discrimination Allegations

By Vanguard AdministratorJune 10, 20261 comments

The Riverside City Council’s rejection of a $20.1 million state grant, designated for the conversion of a Quality Inn motel into 114 studio apartments for individuals experiencing homelessness, has prompted scrutiny concerning California’s affordable housing system and the efficacy of local government strategies in addressing the housing crisis.

CA Gov Candidates Tackle Housing Crisis; Local Resistance Hampers Reform

By David M. 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 M. 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.

Report: Acute Housing Shortage Fuels California’s Unaffordability, Poverty

By David M. GreenwaldMay 19, 20265 comments

A new white paper from the Berkeley Economy & Society Initiative asserts that California’s affordability crisis originates from decades of policy decisions that have constrained housing and infrastructure development, contributing to elevated living costs, increased poverty, and population out-migration.

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.

California Democrats Compete for Pro-Housing Mantle in High-Stakes Governor’s Race

By David M. GreenwaldMay 14, 20261 comments

The 2026 California gubernatorial contest features four prominent Democratic candidates, each presenting credible pro-housing platforms. These contenders are actively competing to establish themselves as the leading advocate for housing abundance, a central issue amidst the state’s persistent affordability crisis, according to a recent analysis by California YIMBY.

CA Housing Crisis Exposes Deep Divisions Among Dem Governor Candidates

By David M. 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.

Opinion: Everyone Wants Affordable Housing — Few Want to Confront the Economics Behind It

By David M. GreenwaldMay 10, 202618 comments

Despite widespread support for affordable housing, the financial realities of building it in Northern California are often overlooked, requiring complex layers of subsidy and cross-financing to make projects economically viable.

Housing Crisis, Homelessness Prevention and the Cost of Inaction

By David M. GreenwaldApril 23, 20260 comments

California’s homelessness crisis is driven by a lack of affordable housing for low-income individuals, and requires a multi-faceted approach to address, including immediate humanitarian relief, individualized intervention, and structural reform.

California Governor Prioritizes Homelessness; New Funds for Local Programs Including Davis and Yolo

By Esteban EstradaApril 18, 20260 comments

Governor Gavin Newsom has allocated an additional $145.4 million in funding to the HHAP program, directing resources to eight California regions to reduce homelessness and expand housing access.

High Cost of Living Drives Californians to Seek Affordable Housing Elsewhere

By David M. GreenwaldApril 9, 202615 comments

Californians who leave the state are moving to more affordable areas and becoming more likely to own homes, with the high cost of living in California being a major driver of relocation decisions.

Sacramento Region Sees Record Homeownership, but Affordability Gap Persists

By Vanguard AdministratorApril 2, 202613 comments

Homeownership in the Sacramento region has reached its highest level in nearly four decades, despite rising housing costs and affordability challenges, with more than 64% of households now owner-occupied.

Newsom Issues Final Warning to 15 Jurisdictions over Housing Law Violations

By David M. GreenwaldMarch 30, 20267 comments

Governor Gavin Newsom has issued a final warning to 15 cities and counties across California for failing to comply with state housing laws, giving them 30 days to respond or face potential legal action.

Opinion | Skepticism about Village Farms Misses the Larger Housing Reality

By David M. GreenwaldMarch 22, 202636 comments

Davis voters must decide whether to approve the proposed Village Farms development, which promises affordable housing, or to continue the city’s decades-long trend of underproduction and risk losing Measure J, which could result in even less affordable housing.

Opinion | Davis Hasn’t Built Too Much Market Rate Housing — It Has Built Too Little

By David M. GreenwaldMarch 14, 202627 comments

The data from the City of Davis’ housing production report shows that the city has built very little housing overall, particularly ownership housing, and that increasing housing supply is one of the most practical ways to address affordability pressures.

Critics Slam Gov. Newsom’s Housing Record as Rents and Homelessness Soar

By Vanguard AdministratorMarch 14, 20260 comments

California Governor Gavin Newsom has been criticized for failing to address the state’s rising rents and homelessness crisis, as well as for siding with corporate landlords and opposing rent control measures.

California Lawmakers Consider Factory-Built Homes to Address Housing Crisis

By David M. GreenwaldMarch 10, 20260 comments

California lawmakers are exploring innovative construction methods, such as factory-based construction, to reduce costs and increase housing production in order to address the state’s severe housing shortage.

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