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

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Jeremia Kimelman

Demonstrators hold up a banner in front of an apartment building in the Adams Point neighborhood of Oakland to protest rent payment and evictions during the coronavirus pandemic on Dec. 5, 2020. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

California Divide

Time running out to extend California’s eviction moratorium

Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders need to reach an agreement by Jan. 31 for California renters to avoid the beginning of a statewide eviction tsunami.

Nigel Duara

• January 21, 2021

Mykhailo Achey, an IT consultant who moved into better housing in San Francisco. during the pandemic, takes in the balcony view from his downtown highrise, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. Photo by Karl Mondon, Bay Area News Group

California Divide

Deals in Bay Area renter’s market favor luxury seekers

Three months’ free rent on a 2-bedroom apartment with a pool in West San Jose. A Lake Merritt studio in Oakland at a 50% discount for the first six months. Two months of “complimentary rent plus a $2,000 MasterCard gift card” on a luxury high rise renting for $4,375 a month in San Francisco’s Potrero […]

Laurence Du Sault

• January 15, 2021

Bank of America is being sued for failing to provide sufficient protections for unemployment payment debit cards after thousands across California have fallen victim to fraud this year. Image via iStock

Economy

Bank of America sued over EDD unemployment debit card fraud

A class-action lawsuit accuses Bank of America of exposing unemployed California workers to large-scale fraud and cutting off access to jobless benefits during the pandemic.

Lauren Hepler

• January 15, 2021

Two farmworkers sit at the end of strawberry field rows for their lunch break in Watsonville. Photo by David Rodriguez, The Salinas Californian

California Divide

Farmworkers lose out on $1.5B COVID-19 safety funding after USDA springs surprise spending

Farmworkers lost out on up to $1.5 billion in grants and loans for COVID-19 safety needs after the USDA committed funds earmarked as such for a food box program. The USDA announced on Jan. 4 that it planned to spend $1.5 billion in a fifth round of the Farmers to Families Food Box Program. It has yet […]

Kate Cimini

• January 13, 2021

California Divide

How California’s budget depends on staggering wealth gap

The state’s progressive tax structure is reaping billions from the wealthiest to fund the state’s safety net. But it also reveals how the pandemic has widened the economic gulf for millions of Californians — more than the rest of the country.

Jackie Botts

• January 13, 2021

Penny Bailey, a technology recruiter for Figma, works from home in San Francisco, on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. Photo by Jane Tyska, Bay Area News Group

California Divide

Pandemic creates ‘weird boom time’ for some Bay Area remote workers

Lea este artículo en español. Millions of California workers have faced at least one of two gut-wrenching situations this past year: losing their jobs or risking their lives by showing up in person at work during a pandemic. But for the others — the “work-from-home” contingent — things have been, well, mostly fine. “My career, […]

Laurence Du Sault

• January 11, 2021

Maya Brady in her Sacramento apartment she shares with her partner on Dec. 3, 2020. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters

California Divide

Finally, rent relief for a graduate starting out in the job market

Maya and her girlfriend count themselves lucky to have received rent relief through the federal CARES Act. Now the pressure is on the recent graduate to get hired and stay on top of rent.

Jackie Botts

• January 8, 2021

Jhonae Mazique carries her dog, Simba, to her friend’s apartment near Lake Merritt where she’s currently staying after losing her housing earlier this year, in Oakland on Dec. 8, 2020. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

California Divide

Hotel workers renew push for recall rights, job protections

California hotel employees are anxious to see if state lawmakers may revive a “right to recall” proposal to rehire based on seniority or propose new help. Many also worry additional aid from last month’s federal relief package won’t help them.

Orlando Mayorquin

• January 7, 2021

Demonstrators participate in a caravan along Harrison Street in Oakland to protest rent payment and evictions during the coronavirus pandemic on Dec. 5, 2020. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

California Divide

Newsom wants extra $600 stimulus for low-wage Californians

The governor proposes a $600 stimulus for low-income Californians on top of the recent federal stimulus aid. He also wants to extend California's eviction moratorium, which is currently set to expire Jan. 31.

Nigel Duara

• January 6, 2021

California Divide

Will COVID spur California to ease food stamp applications?

In a state that has long struggled to get federal food assistance to those who qualify, one senator is hoping that the third time’s a charm for his bill to ease application hurdles for CalFresh.

Jackie Botts

• January 6, 2021