The Homework Newsletter

Governor Newsom signed all six of California YIMBY’s bills this session — from cheaper ADUs to more TOD; new UCLA research shows parking mandates are quietly adding tens of thousands in costs per space and 17% to rents… and more

Several pro-housing bills — lowering ADU costs, speeding approval of transit-area high-rises, and blocking local delay tactics — await Gov. Newsom’s signature; research shows which types of cities tend to build more housing… and more

We recap a successful legislative session, examine the impact of CA’s Density Bonus Law, and show how code changes impact housing costs.

California YIMBY-sponsored bills lowering costs on ADUs and streamlining starter homes advance, a study found inclusionary zoning cuts homebuilding 32%, and California sued 5 cities for violating state housing laws.

Austin adds 120,000 homes and rents go down. Data from New York and Philadelphia shows upzoning leads to more housing production.

Many of our 2026 bills pass their policy committees! Building more apartments is good for the planet, and we explore one reason public transit is more expensive in the U.S. than Europe.

Here’s how many of our 2026 primary endorsements fared. We also show that sprawl costs households a lot of money, but compact urban development saves money.

The 2026 legislative session is in full swing, and so is our legislative agenda. We also look at the costs of sprawling into fire zones, and show how apartment bans raise your rent.

We’re gearing up for the April 24 policy committee deadline. We’re also looking at how Measure ULA is backfiring, and how we can build half a million apartments a year. (We’ve done it before!)

We celebrate an SB 684 and SB 1123 success. We also look at how housing policy is climate policy, and show the high costs of LA’s long wait for building permits.