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Out-of-Touch D.C. Elites Shouldn’t Dictate California’s Housing Policies 

August 7, 2025

California is experiencing a severe housing crisis with disproportionate impacts on Black and Latino families, who make up 70% of extremely low-income renters in the state. The root problem is insufficient housing supply, with the state building only about 100,000 new homes annually instead of the 300,000 needed according to Governor Newsom. A new generation of Democratic lawmakers is embracing housing reform through the YIMBY movement, supporting zoning reforms and affordable housing development as paths toward racial and economic justice.

Who is affected

  • California families, particularly Black and Latino households
  • Extremely low-income renters (70% are people of color)
  • Homeless populations (California has 30% of the nation's homeless despite having 12% of its population)
  • Working families struggling with high housing costs
  • Renters spending more than half their income on housing

What action is being taken

  • Democratic lawmakers like Rep. Robert Garcia, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, Senate leader Scott Wiener, and Speaker Robert Rivas are advocating for housing reform
  • Lawmakers are advancing bills that speed up affordable housing approvals, curb exclusionary zoning, and hold localities accountable for blocking development
  • Some cities including San Diego, San Francisco, and Berkeley have adopted bans on algorithmic pricing tools used by landlords
  • The YIMBY movement is supporting zoning reform and affordable housing development

Why it matters

  • Housing access is considered a civil rights issue, not just an economic one
  • The crisis perpetuates racial and economic inequalities
  • California's mid-tier home prices are more than twice the national average
  • The housing shortage affects quality of life and economic opportunity
  • The issue relates to reversing generations of segregation and displacement
  • Housing policy impacts dignity and equal access to safe, affordable homes

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint