Housing costs have become a primary concern for California’s future. According to many residents, homelessness and rising housing expenses are two of California’s most pressing issues. This is unsurprising given that California has the nation’s second-highest homelessness rate and ranks at the top in cost-burdened households, second among homeowners, and third among renters. According to the California Association of Realtors, just 31% of households in the third quarter of 2019 could afford to buy a median-priced home in California, 25% lower than the national average. Furthermore, when housing prices are taken into consideration, California has one of the highest poverty rates in the country.
The governor and the state legislature have made initiatives to increase housing creation and reduce homelessness. The state budget for 2019-20 includes a $1 billion commitment to combat homelessness, an unprecedented $1.75 billion in new housing, and incentives for localities to approve new house buildings. In 2019, the governor signed 18 measures to boost housing production, including a significant bill (SB 330) to reduce municipal hurdles to home building and accelerate new development. In addition, they signed a statewide rent control bill. Simultaneously, several local governments have significantly increased financing for affordable housing and homelessness prevention and assistance.
California’s housing issue has been decades in the making, and there are no easy remedies. Local policies must interact with state initiatives to enhance housing affordability, boost the housing supply, and address homelessness. As a result, creating and executing effective policies would need long-term collaboration between state and local partners. As a result, although the governor’s focus on encampments is a savvy political move, moving people out of camps and into temporary shelters is not a solution if there is not enough affordable housing.