California Divide

Covering income inequality across the state

Families carry boxes full of fresh produce during a food bank event at El Verano elementary on Nov. 1, 2019. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters

How hungry is California? Millions struggle to eat well in an abundant state

How bad is California hunger? A lot depends on your access to food aid, which expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic but is being reduced.

Rya Jetha

Jeanne Kuang

and

Jeremia Kimelman

Wage theft cases in California can take years to resolve. Illustration by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

California Divide

Stolen Time: Portraits of Californians living through wage theft claims

This photo essay documents the toll of the fight for workers who have made wage theft claims in California.

Julie A. Hotz

Felix Uribe

and

Pablo Unzueta

• December 9, 2022

Beverly Moore's family home in Richmond was taken through eminent domain. Photo by Martin do Nascimento, CalMatters

California Divide

‘When they took the foundation, everything started crumbling’: California group fights eminent domain, racism

Where is My Land aims to help Black families regain property, sometimes decades after a government takes it. Though hundreds seek this help, founder Kavon Ward says her group focuses on a few cases at a time.

Levi Kalish

• December 5, 2022

Annelisa Luong is a Community Organizer at Chinese Progressive Association in San Francisco. Nov. 2, 2022. Photo by Mark Leong for CalMatters

California Divide

To fight wage theft California gets strong assist from worker centers

As California investigates businesses for wage theft, worker centers act as behind-the-scenes allies, helping convince employees to cooperate.

Alejandro Lazo

and

Jeanne Kuang

• November 15, 2022

Angela Reyes Melo, 56, waits outside her car before driving to pick up supplies at a food bank on October 28, 2022, in San Diego. Reyes has been living with her son in a loaned car for the past four months. Photo by David Maung for CalMatters

California Divide

Poverty drops in California but only because of child tax credit, COVID relief funds

If you haven’t filed for a child tax credit, now’s the time to do it. A deadline approaches.

Wendy Fry

• November 7, 2022

A prep cook works in the kitchen of a San Francisco restaurant on May 14, 2020. Photo by Jeff Chiu, AP Photo

California Divide

A Workers’ Guide to Wage Theft: What to do if your boss steals your wages

If your paycheck isn’t right, the state or federal government could help, but it may take some research, records and patience on your part.

Levi Kalish

• November 2, 2022

Illustration by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters; iStock

California Divide

Though wage theft is a crime, few California DAs file charges for it

Some prosecutors say that may change. They are partnering with the state on more wage cases or forming special units to pursue labor abuses as crimes. A new felony law could help, they say.

Jeanne Kuang

and

Levi Kalish

• October 24, 2022

California Divide

Agency battling wage theft in California is too short-staffed to do its job

The state is a national leader in labor law, experts say, but its agency enforcing wage theft rules in California still struggles to staff up.

Alejandro Lazo

Jeanne Kuang

and

Julie Watts

• October 17, 2022

The California Public Utilities Commission offices at the Edmund G. Pat Brown building in San Francisco on Jan. 28, 2022. Photo by Martin do Nascimento, CalMatters

California Divide

State withdraws plans to limit California LifeLine internet and cell phone discount for low-income users

Assembly members and disgruntled Californians urged the California Public Utilities Commission to keep low-income subsidies as is.

Levi Kalish

• October 7, 2022

Micaela Mota received a $277 subsidized childcare fee waiver from the state. With the waiver set to expire next year, she doesn't know how she'll make ends meet. Photo by Marissa Leshnov for CalMatters

California Divide

‘I’m already stressing out’: Families to face bigger bills for subsidized child care as California ends waivers

For the last two years, some families who receive subsidized child care got a waiver from the fees they pay to participate. But the waiver will end next year after Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have extended it, citing an expected decrease in state revenue.

Elizabeth Aguilera

• October 7, 2022

Katie Duberg (left) and Jennifer Richard, chief of staff for state Sen. Maria Durazo (right), embrace in front of the state Capitol after hearing that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Durazo's paid family leave bill on the last day for the governor to sign the bill, Sept. 30, 2022. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters

California Divide

Newsom signs bill making family leave affordable to more workers

The bill increases leave payments to 90% of paychecks for lower-income workers in 2025, so more of them can afford time off for maternity leave or to care for ill family members.

Jeanne Kuang

• September 30, 2022