News
Senior homeless population growing at record pace
Photo courtesy of iStockStudies in California and across the nation indicate that the population of older adults experiencing homelessness will likely continue to grow rapidly.
Posts Tagged: housing
Photo courtesy of iStockNews
UC’s academic union workers in week two of strike
Strikers and their allies at a Nov. 16 rally on the campus of UC Davis. (Photo: David Kn, via Shutterstock)About 48,000 academic union workers at the University of California are in the second week of a strike at UC’s 10 campuses, from San Diego north to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. They walked off their jobs on Nov. 14 amid complaints of unfair labor practices, an action that closed some classrooms and research labs.
News
Making the leap into California’s future — and the unknown
An illustration of the unknown road ahead. (Image: Pro-Studio, via Shutterstock)California faces many challenges now. One is the climate emergency. Another is economic recovery. Add COVID-19 positivity. That is a partial list. You get the picture. Why imagine scenarios for the Golden State over the next decade or century? We turn to Marina Gorbis.
News
Historic state budget blueprint faces crucial hurdles
Gov. Gavin Newsom at a San Francisco event. (Photo: Jana Asenbrennerova, via Shutterstock)Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing a multi-billion-dollar package of monetary goodies for Californians, but how much of it will become reality is now up to legislators. The clock ticks: Lawmakers have less than a month to approve the 2022-23 budget, an unprecedented, nearly $300 billion document, and send it to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Opinion
Fixes needed now in California’s housing, climate-change policies
Masked youths walk down a street in Pacific Palisades, as a brush fire burns beyond the houses. (Photo: BrittanyNY, via Shutterstock)OPINION: California is laying the groundwork to transition millions of homes and buildings from fossil fuel heat to clean energy in coming decades, but the policies guiding our state’s investment in affordable housing are pushing California in the exact opposite direction — by penalizing developers who want to build sustainably.
Opinion
Invest in housing, people instead of corporate welfare
A multi-unit housing complex under construction in Vista, San Diego County. (Photo: Simone Hogan, via Shutterstock)OPINION: With one act next week, an obscure state panel could make nearly $2 billion available to finance and fund affordable housing projects around the state. Or it could choose to leave that money on the table and instead enable a Canadian corporation to issue tax-free bonds to finance a controversial, economically unjust, and environmentally damaging desalination plant in Orange County.
Opinion
We need creative solutions for fire-safe development
OPINION: Over the past several years, severe wildfire conditions across the Western United States have impacted communities throughout California and prompted new questions regarding where and how to build homes in communities outside our cities. While more urban density is one way to address the critical housing needs of a growing population, it is not the only option.
Opinion
Governor: Don’t stigmatize California’s homeless
A view of a homeless encampment along Central Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. (Photo: Matt Gush, via Shutterstock)OPINION: At his May press conference for the state budget revision, which detailed unprecedented action to address homelessness in California, Gov. Newsom referred to California freeways and underpasses as “too damn dirty.” The comment felt much too tongue-in-cheek for the issue at hand, and also much too similar to “The Rent is Too Damn High” slogan popularized by New York politician Jimmy McMillan.
Opinion
A deeper dive into California’s housing crisis
A wood frame of a house under construction in rural California. (Photo: Joseph Sohm, via Shutterstock)
Wood frame of house under construction, Lone Pine, CAOPINION: When it comes to California’s housing crisis, policy makers have often taken the narrow approach of throwing money at efforts to boost supply of sub-market rate units, with comparatively little focus on the dynamics that are driving demand for low income housing.
Opinion
For a better CA, focus on broadband, housing, regulations
Satellite dishes overlooking San Diego. (Photo: Jimmy W, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Fortunately, there is an agenda California can pursue that will benefit these people and will help to ensure a thriving economy for years to come. Three priority areas in on which we have the chance to make a major difference this year are broadband for all, housing affordability, and climate adaptation.