Issue Position: Housing

Issue Position

Did you know that adjusted for cost of living, California has the highest poverty rate in the nation? It's like the old saying goes, "It's not how much you make, it's how much you keep." Californians might make good nominal incomes but don't have much left after paying for the basics. High income taxes, gas prices and energy prices definitely tell part of that story, but nothing drives our poverty more than astronomical housing prices. I want every family in our state to afford the American Dream of homeownership. That won't happen with the median housing price around $800,000.

We need to build vastly more housing. The good news is, we can do it! Homebuilders obviously want to build more homes. Homebuyers are desperate for affordable homes. The building trades are happy to have work that sustains their members and supports families. We just need to give them a helping hand.

One important step we can take is to lower the cost of construction. We might not be able to change the cost of lumber but government can act to remove some of the cost drivers it's forced onto housing in past years. As Governor, I will slash costly regulations and cap fees that push housing prices out of reach for young families. I will unleash a building boom that promotes housing affordability.

I want people to know that they can build a future in this state without spending half of their incomes on housing.

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