WhatMatters

From CalMatters local news fellow Cayla Mihalovich: California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 36, a new law that stiffened penalties for certain drug and theft charges, and pledged to provide “mass treatment” for those facing drug charges.  But since the law took effect, some counties have been scrambling to implement the measure without new funding or, […]

All across California, temporary homeless shelters have become the foundation of taxpayer-funded efforts to get people off the street and back into housing. Our new investigation found that shelters have instead turned into housing purgatory. They’re a mess — dangerous, chaotic and ultimately ineffective at finding people housing. Shelters are usually off limits to anyone […]

Has California’s spate of recent laws to build more housing worked? A report published today holds some answers. Its conclusion? Outlook not so good. As CalMatters’ Ben Christopher explains, YIMBY Law, a pro-housing development nonprofit, looked at five California laws. Those include one from 2021 allowing people to split their single-family homes into duplexes; and […]

In a dispute over whether he can convert his three-story condominium’s garage into its own ground-floor apartment, one Carlsbad resident is waging a battle against his homeowners association. As CalMatters’ Ben Christopher explains, Adam Hardesty is an unemployed project manager and HOA board vice president. After months of research and planning, he decided to turn […]

As the setting for John Steinbeck’s 1950s classic “East of Eden,” Salinas has long been known as a working-class, farming community. Nestled between two mountain ranges and located a few miles inland of Monterey Bay, the city’s geographic location lends itself a beautiful, serene setting.  But recently, CalMatters’ Carolyn Jones explains, Salinas parents, students and […]

In the days and weeks following the January Los Angeles County wildfires, Gov. Gavin Newsom and his office moved quickly to manage the response and begin recovery efforts after the blazes were contained. Since then, the governor has been singularly focused on the region, describing his approach as “an extended period of engagement” with L.A. […]

Against the recommendation of his staff experts, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara denied a request from State Farm to green light “emergency” rate increases for insurance policy holders. As CalMatters’ Levi Sumagaysay explains, earlier this month the largest insurer for California homeowners sought rate increases averaging 22% for homeowners, 15% for renters and 38% for […]

Scheduling note: WhatMatters is honoring America’s presidents on Monday and will return to your inboxes on Tuesday. From the CalMatters environmental team: In large swaths of Los Angeles, Ventura and Orange counties scarred by fires, thousands of residents were on edge through the night as the heaviest storm of the season hit. Debris flows were […]

From CalMatters Capitol reporter Jeanne Kuang: After a 2022 CalMatters series documenting long waits and low payouts for workers who claim their employers have shorted them on wages, California lawmakers have now proposed bills to try to ease the backlogs.  One measure, Senate Bill 310 by San Francisco Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener, would allow workers […]

The Palisades Fire that ignited in January and killed 12 people engulfed several luxury homes, beachfront properties and celebrity mansions. But it also razed the homes of those living in more affordable communities, including two mobile home parks.  For those residents, the long road to recovery includes even more uncertainties and barriers, writes CalMatters’ Felicia […]