Latest News
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.
HOUSING ‘SOLUTIONS’ NOT WORKING
BY THOMAS D. ELIAS
October 27, 2023
Rarely has California seen so concerted and unified a campaign by its elected officials as the drive for housing density conducted by Gov. Gavin Newsom and allied state legislators over the past five years. All along, there have been three major goals: One is to ease a housing shortage, another is to drive down the price of housing and a third seeks somehow to ease the obdurate problem of homelessness.
San Francisco’s ‘affluent NIMBYs’ aren’t only breaking the law, they’re responsible for California’s housing crisis, state claims
By Alena Botros
Thu, October 26, 2023
California has a bold plan to reverse its cost-of-living crisis and stem the exodus of residents leaving the Golden State for regions like Florida and Texas. It’s vowed to create 2.5 million new homes, one million of them affordable, over the next eight years. So, what’s getting in the state’s way? First on the list: the city of San Francisco.
‘Affordable housing’ plans continue to be misguided
By Jackson Stromberg
October 25, 2023
I read Susan Kirsch’s Marin Voice commentary with keen interest.
It has been claimed that the state’s need for affordable housing is a compelling state interest that preempts the constitutional powers granted to cities. In fact, the current avalanche of housing bills coming from Sacramento provides only token benefits to low-income people as required by the law.
IS HOUSING DENSITY LINKED TO INCREASED STROKES?
BY THOMAS D. ELIAS
October 20, 2023
Gov. Gavin Newsom is a big advocate of science, the concept, not the magazine. He’s often said science was behind his many controversial moves to counter COVID-19 and he’s using science in the state’s effort to mitigate future wildfires, for just two examples.
Marin Voice: Problems with state housing policy emerging before our eyes
By SUSAN KIRSCH |
October 16, 2023 at 2:10 p.m.
The Museum of International Propaganda sits on a quiet corner in San Rafael. It displays examples from 25 countries, including Germany, Vietnam and the Soviet Union.
After visiting the museum, I started wondering if Sacramento’s housing policy qualifies. That is a goal of propaganda: to discourage critical thinking and discussion about an issue by using denigrating labels and name-calling so the popular narrative proceeds without challenge.
The Yimbys are winning the media narrative, and that’s bad for all of us
By TIM REDMOND
OCTOBER 16, 2023
It’s too early to know what the local news media will do about a Board of Supes committee deciding today to once again delay Mayor London Breed’s extensive changes in local housing approval rules.
But based on a big piece in the SF Standard today, we can guess: It will be all about the Nimbys continuing to slow down changes that would allow more housing in the city and bring down prices.
Are YIMBYs on the Verge of Winning San Francisco’s Housing War?
Written by Josh Koehn
Published Oct. 16, 2023
In the dog days of summer, while many California state legislators were vacationing or raising campaign money during the monthlong recess, Scott Wiener was convening secret meetings. The state senator and a close-knit crew of housing wonks were hatching a plan to make an 11th-hour amendment to one of his bills—one that would surely raise the hackles of some of his fiercest critics.
Elias: Don’t believe state’s low-growth forecast
by Thomas D. Elias
October 11, 2023
The state Department of Finance in 2013 predicted California would have 52.7 million residents by 2060, but now figures the number will be 39.51 million, just about the same as today.
Two things you can count on when it comes to ballyhooed state forecasts on things like California’s housing and population: They’ll be incompetent and inconsistent. Usually, they will also be outdated even before they’re issued.
Gavin Newsom signs YIMBY-backed law to fast-track homebuilding
By Sophia Bollag, Clare Fonstein
Oct. 11, 2023Updated: Oct. 12, 2023
California is expanding a housing law that has led to the construction of thousands of new units amid the state’s ongoing housing crisis, under a measure signed Wednesday by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The law extends a policy enacted in 2017 that requires cities that fall behind on their state housing goals to streamline approval of some projects. That law was set to expire at the end of 2025 but will be extended, with modifications, until 2036.