Housing
Blog
Beyond rate cuts: Revived housing requires zoning reform
Recent reports by USC researchers and market analysts suggest that California’s already pricey housing stock requires far more than an interest rate cut to balance out, meaning an onrush of moderately priced units aren’t likely in the near term. But there has been further legislation from Sacramento this past session ...
Blog
Squatters’ Blues
“California homeowners are facing an ongoing squatter crisis across Los Angeles,” Newsweek reported in May. Based on comments from Daniel Yukelson, executive director of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles, Newsweek said that “thousands of homes are being invaded by squatters who live in them without paying rent, and ...
Blog
Read the latest from PRI's Free Cities Center
Democratic plan would bring turmoil to housing markets
A century ago, the federal government involved itself hardly at all in housing, leaving that to state and local governments, and the market. The major exception was housing on federal land, including the District of Columbia, other territories and military bases. That changed in 1937 when, as part of President ...
Blog
Read about latest taxpayer-funded giveaway for undocumented immigrants
Newsom Gets One Right in Vetoing Downpayment Aid for Undocumented
Had he signed it, the legislation would have forbidden applicants seeking financial aid for home purchases through the state’s housing purchase assistance program, created by a previous bill, from being “disqualified solely based on the applicant’s immigration status.” But as the governor said in his veto message, funding for the ...
California
Learn about the problems with LA's Measure ULA
Yet another example of a tax that didn’t live up to its promises
Measure ULA, approved by nearly 58% of the voters, initially imposed a 4% “mansion tax” on the sales of any homes or commercial properties valued at more than $5 million. The rate jumped to 5.5% on sales above $10 million. The thresholds increased to $5.15 million and $10.3 million on ...
Blog
Learn about the problems with rent control
Rent-control madness is coming to California’s November ballot
Indeed, the so-called Justice for Renters Act features this simple text: “The state may not limit the right of any city, county, or city and county to maintain, enact or expand residential rent control.” If voters approve the initiative, it would repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Control Act. That 1995 law ...
California
Read the latest on Project Homekey
Disregard the spin. Project Roomkey is failing
In a blatant attempt to rewrite history, Gov. Gavin Newsom claims that Project Roomkey was a great success, which provides important lessons for other states. The only lesson other states should take from the governor’s program is what not to do. To facilitate this revision, research firm Abt Global was contracted ...
Blog
Read about latest push for rent control
Even as rents fall, progressives push local rent controls
These local measures usually come with a tough cap on rent increases, as well as the creation of a new board of bureaucrats to monitor rents while diverting millions of dollars from other core city services. While local measures have fared better at the ballot box than the statewide efforts ...
California
Read the latest on the CA home insurance crisis
Another California crisis that can be solved with state officials getting out of the way
California’s home insurance market is deeply troubled. A former insurance commissioner said it’s “in chaos.” Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara calls it “a real crisis.” Using more colorful language, the president of a Los Angeles agency told The San Francisco Standard that “if there’s a major event” before the market is fixed, ...
Blog
Portland gets serious about housing by slashing red tape
“The proposals, brought by Commissioner Carmen Rubio, would reduce bike parking requirements, allow residential units on the ground floor, relax rules for architectural reviews and temporarily suspend some requirements to hold neighborhood meetings in the areas where they want to build,” reported the Oregonian. As noted by Commissioner Rene Gonzalez ...
Beyond rate cuts: Revived housing requires zoning reform
Recent reports by USC researchers and market analysts suggest that California’s already pricey housing stock requires far more than an interest rate cut to balance out, meaning an onrush of moderately priced units aren’t likely in the near term. But there has been further legislation from Sacramento this past session ...
Squatters’ Blues
“California homeowners are facing an ongoing squatter crisis across Los Angeles,” Newsweek reported in May. Based on comments from Daniel Yukelson, executive director of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles, Newsweek said that “thousands of homes are being invaded by squatters who live in them without paying rent, and ...
Read the latest from PRI's Free Cities Center
Democratic plan would bring turmoil to housing markets
A century ago, the federal government involved itself hardly at all in housing, leaving that to state and local governments, and the market. The major exception was housing on federal land, including the District of Columbia, other territories and military bases. That changed in 1937 when, as part of President ...
Read about latest taxpayer-funded giveaway for undocumented immigrants
Newsom Gets One Right in Vetoing Downpayment Aid for Undocumented
Had he signed it, the legislation would have forbidden applicants seeking financial aid for home purchases through the state’s housing purchase assistance program, created by a previous bill, from being “disqualified solely based on the applicant’s immigration status.” But as the governor said in his veto message, funding for the ...
Learn about the problems with LA's Measure ULA
Yet another example of a tax that didn’t live up to its promises
Measure ULA, approved by nearly 58% of the voters, initially imposed a 4% “mansion tax” on the sales of any homes or commercial properties valued at more than $5 million. The rate jumped to 5.5% on sales above $10 million. The thresholds increased to $5.15 million and $10.3 million on ...
Learn about the problems with rent control
Rent-control madness is coming to California’s November ballot
Indeed, the so-called Justice for Renters Act features this simple text: “The state may not limit the right of any city, county, or city and county to maintain, enact or expand residential rent control.” If voters approve the initiative, it would repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Control Act. That 1995 law ...
Read the latest on Project Homekey
Disregard the spin. Project Roomkey is failing
In a blatant attempt to rewrite history, Gov. Gavin Newsom claims that Project Roomkey was a great success, which provides important lessons for other states. The only lesson other states should take from the governor’s program is what not to do. To facilitate this revision, research firm Abt Global was contracted ...
Read about latest push for rent control
Even as rents fall, progressives push local rent controls
These local measures usually come with a tough cap on rent increases, as well as the creation of a new board of bureaucrats to monitor rents while diverting millions of dollars from other core city services. While local measures have fared better at the ballot box than the statewide efforts ...
Read the latest on the CA home insurance crisis
Another California crisis that can be solved with state officials getting out of the way
California’s home insurance market is deeply troubled. A former insurance commissioner said it’s “in chaos.” Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara calls it “a real crisis.” Using more colorful language, the president of a Los Angeles agency told The San Francisco Standard that “if there’s a major event” before the market is fixed, ...
Portland gets serious about housing by slashing red tape
“The proposals, brought by Commissioner Carmen Rubio, would reduce bike parking requirements, allow residential units on the ground floor, relax rules for architectural reviews and temporarily suspend some requirements to hold neighborhood meetings in the areas where they want to build,” reported the Oregonian. As noted by Commissioner Rene Gonzalez ...
