Housing Crisis

Californians ask why homelessness keeps rising despite enormous local and state investments. Much of it is one-time funding. Ongoing support for housing has traditionally come from the federal government.

Why did the homelessness crisis become more dire in 2023, even as the Legislature passed more affordable housing laws? Home prices and rents are still increasing.

The ongoing conflict between state officials in California and local governments over housing resembles a game of Whac-A-Mole.

Local officials counted on the state’s Homekey program to convert hotel rooms. But now a major developer has defaulted on loans and the state housing department is investigating.

The L.A. nonprofit HOPICS got $140 million in public funds to house the homeless, but it failed to pay rent and some of its clients wound up back on the streets.

California’s rent cap doesn’t apply to low-income housing, which has its own rules. But with inflation, some tenants have gotten much higher rent increases.

There are many explanations for why California lacks affordable housing. What they add up to: the private market is failing to address the crisis. The state needs solutions like social housing, for example, that reckon with that reality.

A 2021 state law has radically changed the housing equation in San Diego. Advocates, developers, and policymakers are split on whether it should be exported to other jurisdictions.

Assembly Speaker Rivas puts key allies into leadership posts and shuffles the top posts on committees heading into the 2024 session of the Legislature. One big winner: Pro-housing advocates.

It's incredibly difficult for someone experiencing homelessness to regain housing in California. With consistent funding, equal distribution and stronger rental protections, it would be easier to keep people housed.