What the “Green New Deal” Doesn’t Do for Housing
“The world is going to end in 12 years if we don’t address climate change.” That’s what congressional newcomer Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is saying about the latest existential threat to the planet (and the well-being of its inhabitants) – best known as global warming. To back up her claims she recently presented a “Green New […]
CEQA Defense Rings Hollow
California environmentalists can surely do better to defend the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) than they did in a recent edition of CALmatters. The piece, “Don’t blame environmental law for California’s housing crisis”, wasn’t convincing at all. First, we’ve already heard plenty from the state’s environmental activists how without CEQA environmental protection in California wouldn’t […]
Impact of Increased Housing Costs
A California legislator once asked me “What’s the big deal? It’s only $1,000 (additional per house).” I responded with a then-recently released study – which has since been updated – showing how adding new costs to the price of a home kept hundreds of thousands of households from becoming homeowners. Alas, I knew that my […]
Solar May be Going Below Market
In what could become a savings for the federal government in utility costs, several non-profits are engineering the installation of solar panels on the rooftops of public and other subsidized housing in certain parts of the country, including California. This effort could also be a boon for the struggling solar power industry which has seen […]
Misguided Solutions to State Homeless Problem
Recently, state Senator John Moorlach (R-Orange County) wrote in this space about California’s struggle to solve the problem of homelessness. In his piece “Grappling with California’s Housing Crisis” Moorlach, however, comes dangerously close to accepting the notion that if government throws enough money at a problem like homelessness we can solve it.
Ban the Pledge of Allegiance? You Decide.
Admittedly, this subject doesn’t fall within my normal routine or domain. Usually, my Fox and Hound verbiage tracks a housing theme. So, what am I doing writing about the Pledge of Allegiance, you ask. Well, it just so happens that this day, while exhaustingly attempting to resolve a F&H dispute involving the use of gender-neutral […]
Governor Sues Huntington Beach Over Housing
In a move that may signal more to come, Governor Newsom is backing up his get-tough language with California communities by announcing that he is taking the City of Huntington Beach to court for failure to meet its housing need. The unprecedented action startled some at the Capitol while pleasing many who remarked that the […]
Is There Hope for CA’s Affordable Housing Future?
Can anything be done in California about its chronic housing crisis? Yes, say the academics and other experts. They conclude that the state suffers a chronic housing crunch because it doesn’t build enough annually. So, like newly minted Governor Newsom, they say just construct more housing each year. But, a key constituent disagrees. Californians, it […]
San Diegans to Ask for Growth-Control Powers
If local demonstrations or a lawsuit using the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) don’t stop a new housing project, just vote it down. That’s the new NIMBY (“not in my backyard”) sentiment prevailing among residents of San Diego County. To back up their concerns about new housing, they’ve qualified an initiative for the 2020 ballot […]
Suburbs (Still) Winning Housing Sweepstakes
The new developments may look different – including having a fair share of higher-density housing – but the trend appears to show the suburbs are attracting more people than center cities. This, despite a belief among demographers that younger generations preferred more urban living. This turn of events is baffling the experts, too. According to […]