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.
The utilities commission reduced payments to apartments, schools and businesses selling solar power to the grid despite a barrage of criticism. Commissioners say it reverses unfair subsidies.
While state regulators craft new regulations and consult with the insurance industry, many Californians are paying extra-high premiums — or going without insurance entirely.
To reach tens of thousands of people living in tent encampments, California must prioritize and focus the billions generated through the Mental Health Services Act. Proposition 1, going before voters in March, is a major step towards the original law's promise.
California can't solve homelessness without vastly improving the public mental health system. Without treatment and interventions, those with a serious mental illness deteriorate and lose housing.
The state government is making several direct and indirect efforts to close California's housing gap, marked by its inadequate supply and high demand. The crisis has so far defied those efforts.