Scott Wiener, the California state senator representing San Francisco, has a pretty good idea for how to save the world. In fact, sitting in a coffee shop in his city’s Financial District, Wiener seems downright perplexed that anyone would be against…
One legislator’s solution to California’s housing crisis
“…the reality is that California is strangling itself and has been for a long time. People get almost immune to hearing about the housing crisis, it’s just words. Look at the real human cost of what’s happening, homelessness being the…
Could a Housing Bill Fight Segregation in San Francisco? — Unintended Consequences
SB 827 would allow people of all income levels to live near transit. It promotes racial justice by preempting low-density “snob” zoning in wealthy suburbs with strong transit access. It would also help ease the disproportionate burden for building currently on low-income…
Editorial: California’s housing wars just starting
The Legislature’s long-delayed response to California’s housing crisis narrowly passed in September in a flurry of last-minute nail-biting and arm-twisting. Judging by the reception that has greeted one of the new year’s first housing bills, that was nothing. The legislation,…
My Transit Density Bill (SB 827): Answering Common Questions and Debunking Misinformation
This piece attempts to answer common questions about SB 827 and debunk misinformation. California is in a deep housing crisis — threatening our state’s environment, economy, diversity, and quality of life — and needs an enormous amount of additional housing at all income levels.…
25 Solutions From A Builder’s Perspective To Fix The California Housing Crisis
The California housing crisis is damaging our very existence. Homelessness is higher than any point during my lifetime. High housing costs are a drag on our local employers. Many working poor have a job, but live out of their vehicles.…
California Bill Would Allow Unrestricted Housing by Transit, Solve State Housing Crisis
“It’s just about the most radical attack on California’s affordability crisis you could imagine. Almost everyone agrees California needs more housing. The state is home to 6 of the country’s 10 most expensive metro areas, in part because of decades…
California Needs a Housing-First Agenda: Senator Weiner’s 2018 Housing Package
“Too often, the areas around transit lines and stops are zoned at very low densities, even limiting housing to single family homes around major transit hubs like BART, Caltrain, Muni, and LA Metro stations. Mandating low-density housing around transit makes…
Get ready for a lot more housing near California transit stations if new legislation passes
“We have a severe housing shortage and part of the problem is that core areas with transit access don’t allow much housing,” Sen. Scott Wiener, the bill’s author, said. “That creates sprawl, huge commutes and it’s not sustainable.” Developers in…
The Great American Single-Family Home Problem
BERKELEY, Calif. — The house at 1310 Haskell Street does not look worthy of a bitter neighborhood war. The roof is rotting, the paint is chipping, and while the lot is long and spacious, the backyard has little beyond overgrown…