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NOTE: The opinions expressed in the news items cited here do not necessarily represent the opinion of Catalysts for Local Control. We try to present a balanced picture of the news on the subject of housing and legislation.
Nation’s Largest Corporate Landlords Use CaliforniaApartment Association to Make Outsized Profits
Housing Is A Human Right
February 20, 2025
The California Apartment Association often frames itself as a defender of mom-and-pop landlords, but that’s anything but the truth. Research shows time and again that many of the nation’s largest corporate landlords use the CAA as a front group to make outsized profits, fueling the housing affordability crisis. A recent investigation that I carried out only underlines that fact.
Marin Voice: Celebrating George Washington’s character on Presidents Day
By RAYMOND LORBER
UPDATED: February 17, 2025
As we celebrate the 293rd birthday of the father of our country, I would like to note that George Washington’s strength of character is still portrayed as the standard for the office of the president of the United States of America. His character set the standard for honesty, courage, trustworthiness and respect.
Here’s one clear way Trump’s deportation agenda could worsen California’s housing crisis
By Jessica Flores, Reporter
Feb 12, 2025
As day laborers go into hiding, labor experts say the workforce withdrawal could exacerbate the labor shortage and worsen the housing crisis. Shirley Pablo and Annia Lopez walked down East 12th Street in Oakland on a cold Wednesday morning, each pulling a foldable wagon filled with oranges, water bottles, granola bars, disposable face masks and “red cards” listing a person’s constitutional rights. The outreach workers approached four men chatting on the sidewalk near the intersection.
After it failed to make the ballot last year, is there enough support for state’s $10 billion housing bond?
By Kate Talerico
February 19, 2025
California voters could soon be asked to authorize spending billions of dollars on new affordable housing. East Bay Assemblymember Buffy Wicks and state Sen. Christopher Cabaldon, a Yolo County Democrat, this week brought back a proposal to place a $10 billion bond for affordable housing programs on the June 2026 ballot after failing to get the measure on the November 2024 ballot.
Bay Area homeowners likely to pay for California FAIR Plan insurance bailout
By ETHAN VARIAN
UPDATED: February 12, 2025
Bay Area homeowners likely will be on the hook for a share of a massive bailout of California’s insurer of last resort after it ran out of money to pay claims arising from the devastating Los Angeles wildfires.
State regulators announced this week that they will allow the program, known as the FAIR Plan, to collect $1 billion in emergency payments from private insurers — who are expected to pass a significant portion of those costs on to policyholders across the state.
Marin Voice: California growth mandates in fire hazard zones must stop
By JOHN MCCAULEY
February 7, 2025
Given recent tragic wildfires in Los Angeles and Maui, fire danger is naturally on everyone’s mind. Evacuation readiness planning was a top priority during the nine years I served on the Mill Valley City Council.
In its zeal to promote more housing, the California Legislature passed numerous laws taking away local control of housing-development decisions irrespective of fire danger. Local jurisdictions like Mill Valley must comply with new state building mandates that appear to ignore fire risk.
These Bay Area ZIP codes have the highest percentage of all-cash home purchases
By Christian Leonard,
Feb 2, 2025
In the Bay Area, where the typical home costs seven figures, affording a monthly mortgage payment is increasingly out of reach for many. But in a few of the region’s wealthiest ZIP codes, most buyers are avoiding those costs entirely — by buying their home in cash. That was the case for nearly two-thirds of home sales in Atherton, which has some of the most expensive homes in the country, in 2024. The percentage was up from 2019, when roughly 59% of sales in the city were made in cash, according to data from real estate company Redfin.
Big Real Estate Raised $171.6 Million to Kill Prop 33 and Pass Prop 34
Housing Is A Human Right
January 31, 2025
For the 2024 election, Big Real Estate raised a whopping total of $171.6 million to kill Proposition 33 and pass Proposition 34 in California. Several of the top contributors are the country’s largest corporate landlords. Through its multi-million-dollar misinformation campaigns, the real estate industry was able to keep statewide rent control restrictions intact and push through an initiative to damage AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s housing advocacy work in California.
Pacific Palisades Fire Incompetence
Dario L.
January 30, 2025
For anybody that doesn’t think incompetence and misplaced priorities had a role in how bad the Palisades fire got… listen to the comments of this ex- Palisades resident at the DWP board meeting And nobody is saying that nothing would have happened if there was more water… but it surely would have made a difference in the severity.