Solving the Housing Crisis
Housing touches everything
…from family life, health outcomes, climate change, education, infrastructure, workforce, and the success of businesses large and small. The high cost of housing is hurting the well-being of Californians and holding the state back from its potential to thrive.
California needs to build over 3 million new housing units to solve the housing crisis. That means we have to build 180,000 units a year to break even, a number we haven’t hit since 2005. The average home in California cost over $800,000 -- twice the national average.
How We Solve the Housing Crisis
Cut Red Tape
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Permitting should take months—not years.
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Streamline local and state permitting processes to lower costs and speed up construction.
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Standardize approval timelines and reduce duplicative reviews.
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Expand by-right approvals for projects that meet state and local plans.
CEQA Reform
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is a good law that has been weaponized by special interests to hold up housing.
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Ensure CEQA protects the environment as the law was intended.
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Streamline CEQA approval for urban infill and transit corridors.
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Exempt projects that meet key environmental and equity standards.
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Fast-track CEQA clearance for affordable and transit-oriented development.
Incentivize Affordable Housing
We should reward communities and developers that build for working families.
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Prioritize density bonuses, fee reductions, and expedited reviews for affordable projects.
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Expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and affordable housing trust funds.
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Encourage adaptive reuse of underutilized buildings into housing.
Embrace Smart Zoning
The housing crisis is also a zoning crisis.
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Rezone underused commercial corridors for mixed-use housing.
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Incentivize higher-density development near high-frequency transit.
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Support local plans that legalize duplexes, triplexes, and small apartments in residential areas.