In summary Los Angeles and Oakland parents who received monthly cash without restrictions from new pilot programs said it did more than help them pay bills. What they gained, they said, was priceless — more time with their children. Before the pandemic, …
From CalMatters political reporter Ben Christopher: In 2017, California lawmakers passed one of the state’s most controversial and consequential housing laws, but they included an expiration date — 2025 — to see how things panned out. Sen. Scott Wiener, …
In summary State and local governments, and some private funders, are launching dozens of pilot projects making direct, monthly payments to low-income residents to help meet basic needs. Researchers will study what happens next. Key question: will this …
In summary Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to close a loophole that allows wealthy Californians to escape state income taxes. It has intriguing aspects, including its potential to affect some of his closest allies. The 2023-24 budget that Gov. Gavin Newsom put …
From CalMatters California Divide reporter Jeanne Kuang: What’s one of the driving forces of poverty and inequality? When the cost of living outpaces the growth in wages. In response, California over the last two decades has raised the minimum wage every …
In summary One of the farms where the Half Moon Bay mass shootings took place announced plans to build proper housing with codes and permits by next year. But why must it take a mass shooting to motivate a farm to humanely house its workers? Guest …
In summary A long-running conflict between the state and local governments over housing is entering a new and more confrontational phase. Several jurisdictions in the Bay Area failed to submit housing plans on time, prompting at least 12 lawsuits that …
From CalMatters economy reporter Grace Gedye: When gas prices were soaring in 2022 and Califorina’s state budget had a ballooning surplus, lawmakers decided to send relief payments to millions of residents to help with rising costs. In recent months, the …
In summary California may soon face a sunk cost argument for the Central Valley portion of the bullet train project. With costs soaring and the merits of high-speed rail heavily debated, some economics experts argue that state officials should invest those …
In summary Some seniors have been homeless for years and are now growing older. But the increasing numbers also reflect another trend: those experiencing homelessness for the first time after age 50. Norma Johnson cracks a faint smile as she adjusts her …
In summary Delays and rising costs have given high-speed rail critics an opening, but proponents say that abandoning this crucial project now would be a mistake. Guest Commentary written by Sixty years ago, construction workers in the San Joaquin Valley …
EN RESUMEN En una audiencia del martes, los reguladores y representantes de la industria discutieron las causas de los altos precios del gas natural en California y qué se puede hacer para proteger a los residentes de las altas facturas. Read this article …
EN RESUMEN California es uno de los 10 estados del país que no exige que las escuelas evalúen a los niños para detectar dislexia. Los expertos están de acuerdo en que el diagnóstico temprano es clave para ayudar a los estudiantes disléxicos a aprender a …
In summary With a majority of housing plans out of compliance with state housing law, developers could theoretically use a little-known law to kick building into high gear. On this week’s podcast, a housing law expert breaks down the untested “builder’s …
From CalMatters health reporter Kristen Hwang: California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Wednesday announced a $215.3 million settlement against Centene Corp., a multi-billion dollar health care company that is the state’s largest commercial Medi-Cal …
In summary Between 2014 and 2020, California’s elderly parole program had a 19% release rate. Many of these incarcerated seniors are dying or will die in prison, despite extremely low recidivism rates for their age group. Guest Commentary written by Robert …
In summary California’s housing market is less affordable after mortgage interest rates drove up costs for many potential buyers last year. Back in 2021, when mortgage interest rates were plumbing all time-lows, Caitlyn O’Connell and her fiance nearly …
In summary For nearly three years, an increase in federal aid has allowed California to issue higher-than-usual amounts in food stamps. That ends in April. Food banks across California are bracing for a feared spike in hunger amid inflated prices after a …
In summary The recent reappointment of Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore focused the attention on his work as a reformer rather than a crime-fighter. As L.A. history shows, law enforcement can do both. The more recent stumbles are less about the false …
EN RESUMEN El mercado inmobiliario de California es menos asequible después de que las tasas de interés de las hipotecas aumentaran los costos para muchos compradores potenciales el año pasado. Read this article in English. En 2021, cuando las tasas de …
