Housing
Housing is Not Health Care and Medicaid Must Not Pay Rent
The New York Times recently published an article titled, “If Housing is a Health Care Issue, Should Medicaid Pay the Rent?” Throughout the piece, the author tells various stories of how using Medicaid to pay for housing in Philadelphia and Arizona has helped some homeless individuals. She explained current federal …
Plastics fight would inconvenience Californians, not do much to help the planet
Living in California isn’t easy. Energy prices, housing costs and taxes are outrageously expensive. The roads are a shambles and traffic is miserable. A perpetual man-made drought, likely power blackouts this summer, and rising homelessness and crime are diminishing our quality of life. If all that isn’t enough, there is …
What Can California Do About Dead Malls?
Across California, strip malls and storefronts are sitting vacant. In San Francisco, an estimated 2,900 businesses closed over the summer of 2020 alone. In Los Angeles, retail vacancies remain high. And in suburbs from Escondido to Folsom, once thriving “power centers” are empty. As a source of local employment and …
Wayne Winegarden Offers His Comments on Another Steep Rate Hike Coming in S&P Global
The Federal Open Market Committee is considering a 50-basis-point rate hike mid-June. Wayne Winegarden discusses the likelihood of elevated inflation persisting through the end of 2022: “Assuming the fiscal pressures subside, it will likely take until the late third quarter to start feeling some relief,” Winegarden said. “I think the …
New Regulation Will Take Health Care Money From Those in Need
A new proposal tucked away in Governor Newsom’s 2022-23 budget plans to divert health care funds to pay for new projects such as housing, transportation, and food security in low-income communities. It’s true that the cost of living in California has ballooned to unsustainable levels and innovative solutions are needed. …
New Assembly Bill Seeks to Expand Dysfunctional CEQA
Assembly Bill 1001, a bill that expands upon and brings new, highly subjective standards to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), continues to successfully move through the California State Legislature. California enacted CEQA over five decades ago to reform the public decision-making process to incorporate environmental considerations. A leader in …
Three Myths About Planning Los Angeles
Maybe it’s only natural, given that this is a city that earns its keep selling compelling stories. But all too often, these myths are wrong, and in some cases, they form the basis of bad policy. Let’s run through three widely believed misconceptions about planning in Los Angeles. Los Angeles …
Let’s End the Suspense
On Thursday, the Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committees held their “suspense hearings.” For those of you who are not Capitol insiders, every bill that has a fiscal impact greater than $150,000 is sent to the “suspense file”. Every one of these bills is weighed against one another for their fiscal …
California Population Falls Again – The Start Of A Long-Term Trend Or A Short-term Blip?
By Kerry Jackson & Wayne Winegarden California lost population for the second straight year in 2021. Just as 2020’s loss was the first in state history, the repeat is unprecedented. This is not supposed to happen in America’s most dynamic state. Is California’s time at the top over? California is …
To Make California Dream a Reality for All, Remove Homebuilding Roadblocks
California’s median home price set a new record of $849,080 in March, according to the latest figures from the California Association of Realtors. In 35 of California’s 58 counties, 50 percent or more of the homes sold above the asking price in March. Given these continued troubling statistics, encouraging desperately …
Housing is Not Health Care and Medicaid Must Not Pay Rent
The New York Times recently published an article titled, “If Housing is a Health Care Issue, Should Medicaid Pay the Rent?” Throughout the piece, the author tells various stories of how using Medicaid to pay for housing in Philadelphia and Arizona has helped some homeless individuals. She explained current federal …
Plastics fight would inconvenience Californians, not do much to help the planet
Living in California isn’t easy. Energy prices, housing costs and taxes are outrageously expensive. The roads are a shambles and traffic is miserable. A perpetual man-made drought, likely power blackouts this summer, and rising homelessness and crime are diminishing our quality of life. If all that isn’t enough, there is …
What Can California Do About Dead Malls?
Across California, strip malls and storefronts are sitting vacant. In San Francisco, an estimated 2,900 businesses closed over the summer of 2020 alone. In Los Angeles, retail vacancies remain high. And in suburbs from Escondido to Folsom, once thriving “power centers” are empty. As a source of local employment and …
Wayne Winegarden Offers His Comments on Another Steep Rate Hike Coming in S&P Global
The Federal Open Market Committee is considering a 50-basis-point rate hike mid-June. Wayne Winegarden discusses the likelihood of elevated inflation persisting through the end of 2022: “Assuming the fiscal pressures subside, it will likely take until the late third quarter to start feeling some relief,” Winegarden said. “I think the …
New Regulation Will Take Health Care Money From Those in Need
A new proposal tucked away in Governor Newsom’s 2022-23 budget plans to divert health care funds to pay for new projects such as housing, transportation, and food security in low-income communities. It’s true that the cost of living in California has ballooned to unsustainable levels and innovative solutions are needed. …
New Assembly Bill Seeks to Expand Dysfunctional CEQA
Assembly Bill 1001, a bill that expands upon and brings new, highly subjective standards to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), continues to successfully move through the California State Legislature. California enacted CEQA over five decades ago to reform the public decision-making process to incorporate environmental considerations. A leader in …
Three Myths About Planning Los Angeles
Maybe it’s only natural, given that this is a city that earns its keep selling compelling stories. But all too often, these myths are wrong, and in some cases, they form the basis of bad policy. Let’s run through three widely believed misconceptions about planning in Los Angeles. Los Angeles …
Let’s End the Suspense
On Thursday, the Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committees held their “suspense hearings.” For those of you who are not Capitol insiders, every bill that has a fiscal impact greater than $150,000 is sent to the “suspense file”. Every one of these bills is weighed against one another for their fiscal …
California Population Falls Again – The Start Of A Long-Term Trend Or A Short-term Blip?
By Kerry Jackson & Wayne Winegarden California lost population for the second straight year in 2021. Just as 2020’s loss was the first in state history, the repeat is unprecedented. This is not supposed to happen in America’s most dynamic state. Is California’s time at the top over? California is …
To Make California Dream a Reality for All, Remove Homebuilding Roadblocks
California’s median home price set a new record of $849,080 in March, according to the latest figures from the California Association of Realtors. In 35 of California’s 58 counties, 50 percent or more of the homes sold above the asking price in March. Given these continued troubling statistics, encouraging desperately …