Democratic candidates for governor of California discussed their plans for addressing the state’s housing crisis at a forum hosted by California YIMBY, offering a mix of regulatory reform, financing innovation, rent stabilization and state enforcement as potential solutions.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has called for new limits on large institutional investors that buy and rent single-family homes, framing the issue as a matter of fairness, accountability and housing access for working families, while President Donald Trump has proposed a federal ban on such purchases.
California’s housing reforms have failed to produce the desired results due to sluggish production, rising home prices, and structural barriers, according to an opinion column in Governing, which argues that the state needs to take more aggressive action to address the housing shortage.
California’s new law, SB 79, is designed to ease the housing shortage by allowing taller apartment buildings near major transit stops, but some counties are exempt and it will take time for the first projects to be completed.
Proposition 13 has had a greater effect on homeowner behavior and local politics than on city budgets, and the only way to solve California’s housing crisis is to move housing decisions to a level of government less susceptible to capture by incumbent homeowners.
California’s single-room occupancy housing stock is facing severe financial and physical distress, with most buildings operating at a deficit, many units sitting vacant, and the majority of properties dating back nearly a century.
California’s housing crisis is accelerating, with Davis being particularly affected due to local land-use choices, resulting in rising costs and a shrinking labor pool.
The San José City Council has approved a proposal to study allowing six-story apartment buildings with a single staircase, which could unlock thousands of new homes while maintaining strict safety standards.
The Housing Development Economic Feasibility and Implementation Analysis for Palo Alto has concluded that not a single development prototype would be financially viable under current market conditions, reflecting the broader economic and policy gridlock paralyzing housing production across California.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s signing of SB 79 represents a modest step towards addressing California’s housing crisis, but it is not enough to fix the state’s broken housing system and will not result in the necessary affordable housing being built.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed two housing bills, SB 786 and SB 808, aimed at cutting red tape and accelerating housing construction, which will take effect on January 1, 2026.
ReloShare is a technology company working to provide emergency housing for families in crisis in California, with the goal of making the process of finding emergency housing as simple as booking a hotel room.
Houston has been successful in reducing homelessness through a housing-first strategy, but the latest data shows that even the most celebrated local strategies are fragile without sustained federal funding and affordable housing.
California’s housing crisis is exacerbated by Nimbyism, which prioritizes the preferences of existing homeowners over the needs of those struggling to find housing, resulting in increased costs and displacement for renters, commuters, and the unhoused.
The City of Artesia has agreed to a settlement requiring it to bring its housing element into compliance with state housing law, resulting in the creation of 1,069 new homes, including 608 affordable units, and facing potential fines if deadlines are missed.
The San Francisco Chronicle editorial board has called on California lawmakers to take meaningful action on housing, supporting Senate Bill 79, which would require local governments to approve mid-rise apartment buildings near transit stops, and warning that the state’s reluctance to build more homes threatens its long-term political clout in Washington.
California lawmakers are being criticized for increasing taxes and fees, which is making homeownership increasingly unattainable for ordinary families, while neglecting to use a budget surplus to provide relief.
Tom Steyer is urging California lawmakers and residents to pass Senate Bill 79, which would allow more mid-rise apartments near public transportation, cut through red tape for projects built on transit land, and require accountability measures to ensure housing targets are met, in order to address the state’s housing crisis.
Tom Steyer has endorsed Senate Bill 79, legislation introduced by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, which seeks to address California’s housing crisis by allowing more homes near public transportation and reducing emissions.
The Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) announced that the region built 12,500 homes in 2024, marking the highest housing production year since 2005 and a 60 percent increase compared to just five years ago.