Much of the Democratic party’s traditional constituency include small business owners, first responders, and “essential workers”. These groups earn too much to qualify for housing assistance, but too little to live in the state’s most expensive population centers. Economist John Husing showed that even the highest-paid construction workers cannot afford to buy a median priced home in any Southern California county that touches the ocean, or any Bay Area county that touches San Francisco Bay
On April 22, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled Senate Bill 9 unconstitutional for five “charter law” cities.
This court ruling signals an opportunity for more California cities to follow the lead of the five courageous “charter law” cities who stood up against state overreach. The 150 state laws that erode local democracy have not and will not make housing more affordable for those who need it most.
If California’s population is well off its peak, and developers keep on building housing, why does the cost of living in the Golden State remain lofty?
My trusty spreadsheet looked at fresh demographic figures from the state Department of Finance to find any hints of solving this housing riddle.
Start with the basics: California had 38.2 million residents living in households last year – that’s down 375,800 since 2020, or a 0.9% loss.
In the past two years, at least four delegations of housing experts and political leaders from California have visited the Austrian capital, hoping to unlock the secrets of why Vienna regularly comes top in surveys of the world’s most livable cities.
They’re struck by the absence of homeless encampments, and marvel at the sheer scale of the subsidized housing developments which include shared amenities such swimming pools, gyms, workshops, communal gardens and spacious roof terraces.
“On April 22, 2024, at 11:00 AM, the Honorable Curtis A. Kin in Department 86 of the Los Angeles Superior Court issued a ruling granting a Petition for Writ of Mandate challenging the constitutionality of Senate Bill 9, as applied to charter cities. Senate Bill 9 requires all California cities to ministerially approve an application for a lot split, and up to four total housing units, on a single family residential lot that meets certain specified criteria.”
Against the backdrop of a national shortage of affordable housing, due in large part to government policies, California lawmakers want to restrict corporate investment in single-family rental properties. This would make the Golden State’s housing affordability crisis worse. Since California is often a bellwether for both federal and other states’ policies, renters should hope the flawed idea dies before it spreads.
A weekly Zoom call to talk about housing legislation and strategies to preserve local control. Bring your questions and ideas. Informal networking, announcements, and updates. PLEASE NOTE: You have to register in advance the first time to get the new Zoom link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. The Zoom link will work for the rest of the year. REGISTER
A weekly Zoom call to talk about housing legislation and strategies to preserve local control. Bring your questions and ideas. Informal networking, announcements, and updates. PLEASE NOTE: You have to register in advance the first time to get the new Zoom link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. The Zoom link will work for the rest of the year. REGISTER
A weekly Zoom call to talk about housing legislation and strategies to preserve local control. Bring your questions and ideas. Informal networking, announcements, and updates. PLEASE NOTE: You have to register in advance the first time to get the new Zoom link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. The Zoom link will work for the rest of the year. REGISTER
The Great Housing Challenge: WHAT MATTERS TO CONSTITUENTS? A 4-part Town Hall Series on Zoom (August-November) Thursday nights, 5:00-6:30 pm Part 1: Safety Matters! State-imposed density increases fire risk which increases insurance costs. How one Sonoma community is fighting back. You can, too. Presenters: Amy Kalish, president, Citizen Marin, and (invited) Carolyn Scott, filmmaker “Small is Beautiful: The Quest to Save Valley of the Moon (Sonoma)” The California Dream is collapsing into a California Nightmare! Legislators have passed 150 laws since 2017, without increasing the supply of affordable housing. Evidence shows conditions are getting worse. What matters? Affordable housing, of course. And also safety, taxes, elections, and the constitution. SIGN UP FOR THE SERIES TODAY Register Sign up once and re-use your Zoom link throughout the series.
A weekly Zoom call to talk about housing legislation and strategies to preserve local control. Bring your questions and ideas. Informal networking, announcements, and updates. PLEASE NOTE: You have to register in advance the first time to get the new Zoom link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. The Zoom link will work for the rest of the year. REGISTER
