News & Events

Big picture: HCD has provided new clarity, and we are full steam ahead on SB 79 implementation. HCD just released a new advisory memo to help California’s Metropolitan Planning Organizations map SB 79’s coverage in the state’s 4 major metros.…

SB 79 Culminates Eight-Year Fight to Legalize Homes Near Transit “This Governor has cemented his legacy as a pro-housing leader” SACRAMENTO — Today California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 79, a bill that will make it legal…

How is Los Angeles doing on housing affordability? Not good. The median home price in Los Angeles is now $930,622. That’s over 11 times the median household income – meaning the typical Los Angeles family does not have a path…

by Max Dubler Introduction The 2026 Affordable Housing Bond – Proposition 1 This fall, California voters will vote on an $11.25 billion bond measure, Proposition 1, to fund housing programs, including Affordable Housing construction. California YIMBY recommends a “yes” vote…

by Max Dubler Introduction To reduce housing costs, we need to reduce local fees. That requires state revenue reform. California YIMBY has found substantial success reforming many of the barriers to housing growth in our state. From zoning reforms, to…

by Max Dubler Introduction Providing down payment subsidies for first-time homebuyers is a good idea on the merits, but is problematic in a severely supply-constrained market like California.  Prop 37 authorizes the state to issue up to $25 billion in…

by Max Dubler Introduction It should not take a supermajority of voters to raise revenues for local schools, infrastructure, and public safety. Analysis Background Proposition 13, passed by voters in 1978, amended the state constitution to cap property tax rates…

by Max Dubler Introduction While Proposition 45 meaningfully touches on housing, it will have a much more significant impact on non-housing projects. Pro-housing voters should consider the arguments for and against the measure and make their own decision based on…

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

California needs at least 2.5 million new homes by 2030, but most cities are still falling short. A new study examines whether this shortfall is associated with the politics of who lives in these cities, and how those politics determine…

Does building new housing lead to lower rents in older housing? A new study out of Honolulu tests that claim by tracking “moving chains” in a single building, The Central, a 512-home tower in Honolulu, completed in 2021. Each older…

Nine years of policy innovation, 41 new pro-housing laws, and a winning playbook for national housing abundance “We were told it was impossible to change the rules that banned new homes. We did it anyway.” SACRAMENTO – Today, California YIMBY was…

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