The state’s two candidates for governor say the housing crisis is the top issue. Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom says that California needs to build about four times as many housing units as it currently does. He sees a strong state role needed to pull that off.
"There are no statewide housing goals in California. There are no timelines, no objectives.'
During a debate on public radio in San Francisco, Republican businessman, John Cox went on to give his take on why so many people are looking to leave California.
"The status quo isn't working for average working California. So they can't afford to live here and that's why they're leaving."
Cox blamed red tape, taxes, and lawsuits for the housing shortage.
"I can build apartments in other states that I operate in for a fourth or a fifth of what they cost to operate in California."
His hope is to change environmental regulations making it expensive to live in the state.
"Other states that have Democratic governors can build housing a lot faster and a lot less costly than California."
During this debate, Newsom took a moment to explain that the state needs goals to build more than 100,000 units per year.
"From a production perspective, we want to be developing close to four times that number."
He goes on to say that the housing crisis has widened the gap between rich and poor.
"We have to address the issue of cost of housing, we have to address the issue of affordability broadly, we have to address the issue of homelessness."
Newsom wishes to reform California's property tax system stating that setting limitations on how much property tax cities can collect won't sap the incentive from building.