WhatMatters

Gov. Gavin Newsom created Homekey in 2020 amid the peak of COVID-19 and pressure to do something about the state’s persistent homelessness crisis. The state program sought to get money into the hands of local governments to create housing for homeless residents while cutting red tape.  But the program came with little built-in oversight. Earlier […]

Homelessness remains one of California’s more vexing issues, and the next governor will have to contend with nearly a quarter of the entire country’s homeless population. CalMatters’ Marisa Kendall, in partnership with the Steinberg Institute and Abridged — PBS KVIE, spoke with four of the eight top-polling candidates for governor to learn more about what […]

Though you are surely plumbing the depths of CalMatters’ comprehensive voter guide, let’s highlight two parts in particular: The race for state treasurer and California legislative elections: State treasurer: Six candidates are vying to be California’s next money manager, but the race is largely between two top Democrats: Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, whom Gov. Gavin Newsom […]

CalMatters’ voter guide for the June 2 primary is out and it has everything you need to know about who’s running for governor, what races you should keep an eye on, how to vote and more. This year’s guide includes short video Q&As with each of the leading gubernatorial candidates across major topics, such as […]

Proponents of a huge water project are claiming victory after the $20 billion tunnel largely cleared a key hurdle last week. But the massive construction — known as the Delta tunnel — is still mired in controversy, and many roadblocks lay ahead, writes CalMatters’ Rachel Becker. To shore up state water supplies, the Delta tunnel […]

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a congressional voting map in Louisiana, adding a new wrinkle to the multistate gerrymandering war, report CalMatters’ Nigel Duara and Maya C. Miller. On Wednesday the high court upheld an earlier ruling by a federal district court rejecting a 2024 voting map that was redrawn to give Louisiana a […]

Republican-led concerns of alleged widespread Medicare fraud underscore the recent spate of hospice fraud cases in California. But what does hospice fraud entail and how can you protect yourself? As CalMatters’ Ana B. Ibarra explains, there are numerous types of hospice fraud. It can be as simple as providers knowingly overbilling Medicare and Medi-Cal, or […]

In a move immigration and privacy advocates call a “betrayal,” California is preparing to share detailed information about its driver’s license holders with an outside organization. That includes information on unauthorized immigrants — despite a decade-old state law prohibiting it from doing so. As CalMatters’ Khari Johnson and Wendy Fry explain, under a 2013 law […]

Come November, California voters will elect the state’s next insurance commissioner. The race comes at a time when California is grappling with an ongoing insurance market crisis, increasing fire hazards intensified by climate change and the aftermath of 2025’s Los Angeles-area wildfires. CalMatters’ Levi Sumagaysay spoke with the five candidates who raised the most money […]

A bill that would extend privacy protections for people who provide legal, health care and other aid to immigrants is facing intense pushback from Republican legislators who say the proposal threatens journalists trying to uncover government fraud. Assembly Bill 2624 would expand the eligibility for California’s Safe at Home Program to immigration service providers. Established […]