California lawmakers have eliminated new funding for the HHAP program in fiscal year 2025–26, potentially halting progress in addressing homelessness and forcing local governments to scale back services and programs.
The housing crisis is a growing problem in the US, with millions of middle-class people struggling to afford homes, and it is not just a free market issue, but a systemic one caused by decades of artificial scarcity and artificial barriers to home ownership.
The Sacramento Police Department was found liable for violating the constitutional rights of George Floyd protesters, but the court declined to issue a permanent injunction to mandate reforms, leaving the plaintiffs and their supporters feeling that justice remains elusive.
Governor Gavin Newsom responded to Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ claims of California’s governance problems by pointing out that the highest murder rates in the country are in red states, and that California’s homicide rate is lower than Arkansas’ and other red states.
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.
Hope Landing, a newly converted permanent supportive housing complex in Sacramento’s Arden area, provides 124 units for seniors exiting homelessness and offers a full suite of on-site services to help them build long-term independence.
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 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.
The housing crisis in California and other cities is not caused by zoning regulations, but by the consolidation of economic power by homebuilders and Wall Street investors who profit from scarcity and drive up prices.
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.
The City of Davis faces budget shortfalls and deficits due to new employee contracts and inadequate reserves, and is advised to implement a 10% cut in General Fund positions, a one-year pay freeze, and eliminate health and retirement benefits for council members to address the fiscal crisis.
California State Senator Dr. Aisha Wahab is pushing a package of 13 bills to address the state’s affordability crisis, including measures to prevent digital discrimination, protect tenants from eviction, and streamline rebuilding processes in disaster-affected areas.
Carlos Reales Dominguez’s murder trial continued with testimony from a forensic evaluator and a victim’s acquaintance, with the defense presenting evidence that Dominguez had schizophrenia and the prosecution questioning the credibility of the defense’s expert witness.
SB 750, authored by Senator Dave Cortese, would allow California to use its own credit to finance stalled housing projects, potentially unlocking funds for hundreds of thousands of homes and addressing the state’s persistent housing shortage.
California’s housing crisis is causing middle-income families to be priced out of the state, with only 87,000 homes built annually and a shortage of “missing middle” housing, leading to increased commutes and displacement of households of color.
Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman is filing felony charges under Proposition 36, which will lead to a flood of low-level cases in the courts, jails, and prisons, disproportionately affecting Black, Brown, and unhoused residents, while Governor Gavin Newsom has refused to fund the enforcement of the measure.
Northview Pointe, a 67-unit permanent supportive housing development in North Sacramento, was celebrated with a grand opening on Wednesday, offering formerly unhoused residents with stable, service-enriched housing and access to wraparound supportive services.
Senator Thomas Umberg has announced that three of his substance abuse-focused bills have cleared their initial policy committees and will move forward for further consideration by the California Senate, aiming to combat widespread fraud and abuse in California’s substance use disorder treatment system.
The California State Assembly has advanced two high-profile bills aimed at expanding Accessory Dwelling Unit development and protecting tenants from rising rents, which will now head to the State Senate for consideration.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s community grant program has led to over 14,000 cases of retail crime being referred to district attorneys’ offices for prosecution, and has also provided funding for mental health services and substance use disorder treatment.