Affordable Housing

Legislators propose a $1-billion-a-year down payment program for first-time buyers, given the high cost of housing and rising mortgage interest rates, in exchange for a partial stake.

Much has been made about the persistent disagreement between Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers over how to put money back in the pockets of Californians reeling from high gas prices and the rising cost of living, but what about addressing the state’s perennial problem — housing? Don’t worry, there are disagreements there, too. The […]

Communities must focus on policies that prevent displacement of residents, preserve existing housing and increase housing affordable to lower-income residents.

To meet California’s dire housing needs, policymakers must put less emphasis on mandates and instead harness the power of incentives.

We need far more affordable housing in our state, but in the meantime, Assembly Bill 1961, which would create a housing database, would make it much easier to apply for what we’ve got.

There are growing calls to promote equity for those working Californians who, as a result of this state and nation’s history of discrimination, have higher levels of economic and housing insecurity and limited, if any, intergenerational wealth. California Realtors, Habitat for Humanity and the California Building Industry Association — a housing coalition — echoes those […]

A new bill aimed at increasing affordable housing construction has an important backer: California’s carpenters’ unions. The state’s formidable Construction and Building Trades Council, which represents most other construction unions, is opposed. The battle comes down to how stringent labor requirements under the new bill would be.

A handful of activists represent the bulk of the state’s enforcement of the law. That could change as the state housing agency hires more staff.

Eliminating parking minimums for new developments can lead to more affordable, accessible and inclusive housing.

Cities around the state are trying to circumvent California's new law allowing duplexes to be built on properties previously zoned as single family. Their methods include everything from removing parking and forbidding vehicle ownership to requiring arbitrary amounts of mature vegetation.