California’s Housing Horrors

California is producing just seven units of housing for every 10 new households, according to a report by Up for Growth that was the focus of a discussion the Bay Area Council convened on Halloween with top state and regional leaders. State Board of Equalization Chair Fiona Ma, Assemblymember David Chiu, TMG Partners executive and former Council Housing Committee co-Chair Denise Pinkston and UC Berkeley Terner Center leader Carol Galante headlined the event hosted by Council member Reed Smith. The report found that high rents are a top driver of homelessness statewide and that the housing crisis is gives California the highest level of out-migration among all western states. The panelists, in a discussion moderated by Council CEO Jim Wunderman, outlined a number of solutions to spurring new production, including regionalizing housing responsibilities, reducing construction cost using innovative building practices, and using tax policies to help make building middle income housing feasible. Read the full report here>>