The Bay Area faces an unprecedented housing crisis that impacts every family, worker, and company in our region. Despite visionary State planning goals to “build in” and reduce our greenhouse gas footprint, our system of approving and building housing is failing to provide infill housing at a rate that corresponds with job growth. Our region’s workforce is commuting longer from farther and paying a greater share of household income for housing. The housing crisis threatens our diverse communities, our economy, and our environment.

• The average home in California’s coastal communities is 2.5X more expensive than the national average.

•  Low-income Californians spend about 67% of their income on housing.

• Homeownership rates for young households are falling, preventing the building of wealth for young Californians.

What is driving costs up?

• Counties with slow housing growth have higher housing prices relative to the rest of the country.
• The average CEQA review takes about 2.5 years for developments that require an Environmental Impact Review (EIR).
• Average development fees in California are over 3X higher than the national average, increasing building costs.
• Coastal communities across California implement formal growth control measures that stifle housing, on average, five measures per year.

What can we do?

In the May Revise, Governor Brown proposed allowing cities to give simple administrative approval of housing developments that are consistent with existing local planning, building and zoning regulations and that set aside either 20% of new homes for lower-income residents or 10% when the development is located close to transit.

Urge the Legislature to support Governor Brown's "Streamlining Affordable Housing Approvals" bill to increase housing stock and bring down housing costs!

Data Source: Legislative Analyst's Office, California’s High Housing Costs: Causes and Consequences, 2015.