poverty

Donna Insalaco had to lay off 40 of the 45 employees at Pizzaiolo, her gourmet pizzeria in downtown Oakland, after sales fell through a “black hole.” “A lot of tears,” Insalaco said, “All of us here live check-to-check.” Responding to a statewide call for restaurants to close their doors to dine-in customers, Pizzaiolo is now […]

In January, I sat among dozens of other reporters in California’s Capitol as we peppered Gov. Gavin Newsom with questions about his spending plan for the year, a bulging $222 billion budget full of progressive proposals: $1.4 billion in new funds for homeless services, expansion of the state’s health insurance for low-income residents, a proposal […]

Last May, Burger Patch first opened its doors in midtown Sacramento with a sign that said “No Cash Accepted.” The owners of the organic and vegan burger joint were worried that a cash register might invite theft.  But customers kept showing up with only cash. Sometimes the cashiers would accept it, working around the digital […]

Tens of thousands of families still owe juvenile justice fees that California has since abolished.

Election guide answers all your primary questions. Newsom restarts Delta water project. Motel vouchers help to house impoverished Fresno County families.

A Thanksgiving week storm batters California, and firefighters give thanks in Santa Barbara. Plus, cities grapple with cannabis, and the state with Trump.

It’s a Catch-22: to get good credit, consumers must first have good credit scores. Programs like the one run by the nonprofit Mission Asset Fund bridge informal traditional lending practices with the mainstream financial system. 

Pacific Gas & Electric turned off power to Ana Patricia Rios’ neighborhood in Sonoma County for eight days in October, three at the beginning of the month and five near the end. The mother of three young boys watched twice as nearly all of the food in her refrigerator spoiled. She threw out at least […]

A college student in Fresno who struggles with hunger has applied for food stamps three times. Another student, who is homeless in Sacramento, has applied twice. Each time, they were denied. A 61-year-old in-home caretaker in Oakland was cut off from food stamps last year when her paperwork got lost. Out of work, she can’t […]

Dental program for low-income Californians beset with problems. Tracking college-affordability bills. Newsom expands the right to sue.