The Frontier

Tom Steyer says California's construction costs are high due to labor, materials, and financing. He argues modular housing can cut costs by 20% and that a new $22 billion state fund would eliminate the 'unfunded mandate' driving local opposition.

A 2022 RAND Corporation study shows construction speed is the main driver of higher costs in California. A multifamily project takes 49 months in California versus 27 months in Texas and 37 in Colorado.

Katie Porter argues the state should consolidate its fractured affordable housing funding into a single pot to cut delays. She also believes caps on local fees and a uniform permit process are necessary to lower costs.

Javier Becerra supports a $10 billion housing bond for affordable housing while arguing for prevailing wage in large projects. An analysis he cites found prevailing wage standards add about $94,000 to the cost of each housing unit.

Matt Mahan says San Jose cut local housing fees by two-thirds, which led to 2,000 new homes starting construction last year. He argues the state should cap all local fees to prevent projects from becoming unfeasible.

Katie Porter says the most effective homelessness prevention is direct cash assistance. Research shows the median cost to prevent an eviction or foreclosure with cash is $6,000 per family.

Antonio Villaraigosa argues the state spent $24 billion on homelessness from 2018 to 2023 while the unsheltered population grew. He claims only rental assistance and Homekey interim housing showed measurable success.

Matt Mahan says San Jose's homelessness prevention program, which pairs one-time rental aid with case management, has kept over 92% of assisted households housed without ongoing subsidy.

Tom Steyer promotes emergency interim housing as a cheaper, more humane alternative to shelters. He claims it costs between $750,000 and $1 million per unit to build permanent supportive housing.

Antonio Villaraigosa says Proposition 13 flipped California's property tax burden from 60% commercial to 60% residential, which now incentivizes cities to build retail over housing.

Javier Becerra and Matt Mahan disagree on using lawsuits to enforce state housing laws. Becerra defends litigation as a necessary tool, while Mahan argues it's ineffective and prefers 'builder's remedy' overrides.

Katie Porter criticizes the 'mansion tax' (Measure ULA), citing a UCLA study showing an 84% drop in Los Angeles construction activity following its implementation.