WhatMatters

The rent, as we all know, is too damn high. So is California’s poverty rate. The two things are related. That’s the not-so-surprising finding of a new analysis published by the Pew Charitable Trusts: If California’s rents dropped to the national average, the state would slash its poverty rate by 30%. The child poverty rate […]

In moments of crisis, incarcerated firefighters provide a lifeline for California. They are often the frontline in our ever-growing list of destructive wildfires and even during floods or other natural disasters.  Yet once released from prison, they struggle to get firefighting jobs, despite their qualifications. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday signed a bill by Assemblymember […]

Fourteen propositions are on the November ballot, and whether you think that’s a few too many, it’s still important for you to know how you’ll vote. We’re here to help with a tool that we hope is as fun as it is informative: Quizzes. I chatted with Shelly Tan, a graphics reporter and illustrator on […]

Locals in Pacifica have had enough of Airbnb.  In recent years, the number of listings from the short-term rental platform increased 70% in the city just south of San Francisco that’s known for its crashing waves and coastal trails. The local police department has received more than a hundred reports of loud parties and trespassers. […]

Billionaires really don’t want voters to pass Proposition 40. Not only have they poured more than $187 million so far to try and defeat the measure, they’ve also placed two other measures — Prop. 41 and Prop. 42 — on the November ballot. If either of the two pass with more votes than Prop. 40, […]

If you want to build a housing project somewhere in California like Los Angeles, you’ll have to wade through an ocean of red tape to secure the right permits. The process isn’t for the faint of heart — some projects, for example, require special permits to have dirt taken away. So for those who don’t […]

The Northern California County that often seems to be at the center of election drama is bracing for another potentially bumpy one. As CalMatters’ Ryan Sabalow explains, Shasta County residents in June ousted Registrar of Voters Clint Curtis. But the longtime conspiracy theorist and election denier still has the remainder of his term to oversee […]

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a spate of bills Saturday that aim to safeguard California elections and preemptively address potential actions by President Donald Trump to interfere with election results or limit how Californians can vote. Trump avows that his administration is attempting to stop widespread election fraud, which is exceedingly rare, and prevent noncitizens from […]

For years, California has struggled to address a mounting backlog of workers claiming labor law violations, even as it collected millions of dollars from employers each year for enforcement. Now, a judge’s order may force the state to solve the problem.  The state’s Labor Commissioner’s Office faces a lawsuit this year from workers who say […]

Two years ago, proponents of Proposition 36 pledged the measure would curb crime, substance abuse and homelessness in California. So after voters overwhelmingly passed it, how well is the law working? We’re publishing a special report today looking at how the law is affecting lives on the ground in courts and in jails. CalMatters’ Marisa […]