Gimme Shelter: The California Housing Crisis Podcast
Summary: Why is it so expensive to live in California? And what can the state do about it? Every other week, Los Angeles Times housing reporter Liam Dillon and CALmatters' data reporter Matt Levin chat about the latest developments in California housing policy and interview a key housing newsmaker. Listen to this podcast and we promise your rent will drop in half instantly. You can also subscribe to us on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify and anywhere else you get your pods. Gimme Shelter is supported by The James Irvine Foundation, committed to a California where all low-income workers have the power to advance economically.
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- Artist: Matt Levin and Liam Dillon
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Podcasts:
Gimme Shelter's tour of California's housing woes takes them to Sonoma County this week, where the devastating North Bay fires have thrown a harsh spotlight on the region's housing shortage. First, Liam and Matt discuss an initiative possibly headed for the November 2018 ballot that would dramatically expand rent control in California (1:30). Then Liam describes the destruction he saw firsthand in Santa Rosa (8:00), and Matt poses the question of whether the city can and should rebuild in a denser way (14:00). Santa Rosa Mayor Chris Coursey (18:30) joins the pod to talk about where the city heads from here. And finally Liam chats with Santa Rosa resident John Thill, whose house and business were both destroyed in the fire and who plans to live in an RV for as long as it takes because housing is so hard to come by. If you'd like to donate to John's GoFundMe page, you can here: https://www.gofundme.com/john-colleen-thill-rebuild-fund
Liam and Matt will be back next week for your regularly scheduled programming. This week, we're airing a Zocalo Public Square/AARP forum entitled "Are Housing Prices Killing the California Dream?" The panel features California Senate President pro Tem Kevin de León, AARP housing policy expert Rodney Harrell, executive director of Housing California Lisa Hershey, and dean of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs Gary Segura, and is hosted by CALmatters CEO Dave Lesher.
Starting this week, Matt and Liam explore how state housing policy affects different regions of California. This episode is devoted to the Bay Area, the epicenter of the state's housing woes. Featuring an avocado of the week where a city official tells Liam how he'll evade state law (2:40), how to interpret California poverty figures (6:30), and how the tiny Bay Area community of Brisbane is a microcosm of the housing mess (9:30). Then, an interview with the great Kim-Mai Cutler, former journalist with TechCrunch and author of the definitive Bay Area housing think piece (21:30).
What makes or breaks good housing policy? The wonky details. This week, Matt and Liam break down the ins and outs of all 15 bills in the state housing package: where the new affordable housing revenue will be spent (6:00), whether the so-called "streamlining" bills will actually make it easier for builders to build (10:00), how inclusionary zoning ordinances will actually work (19:00), the new additional layers of planning cities will be required to do (21:00), and how beefed up state enforcement of housing law will play out in practice (26:00). Then, a fantastic panel interview (33:00) with developer Meea Kang, affordable housing advocate Brian Augusta, and League of Cities lobbyist Jason Rhine. Here's Liam's opus we reference on 50 years of failed California state housing law: http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-pol-ca-housing-supply/
We have a housing package! It's such big news, we're breaking it into two mega-pods: This week dedicated to the politics behind the package, and next week to its crucial policy details. Matt and Liam discuss the late-night drama at the Capitol (6:50), Asm. Marc Levine as YIMBY heel (9:30), the broad political forces that aligned this year for a deal (17:00), and what to look for next year in housing policy (24:00). Then, an interview with Assemblyman Brian Maienschein (R-San Diego) (32:30), the sole Republican to vote for a crucial housing bill.
Three days and counting until the Legislature adjourns for the year. We thought we could see a housing package passed as early as July. Why the delay, and what's happening now?
Every week, Los Angeles Times housing reporter Liam Dillon and CALmatters' data reporter Matt Levin chat about the latest developments in California housing policy and interview a key housing newsmaker. This week, Matt and Liam discuss the Margaret Atwood NIMBY controversy (3:00), why the housing package didn't pass last week (8:00), and whether the state Supreme Court created a gaping hole in Prop 13 or something more ambiguous (9:30). Then we speak with Obama-era HUD official and UC Berkeley housing expert Carol Galante on what's missing from the state housing package (18:00). Subscribe to us on iTunes and Stitcher!
The inaugural episode of Matt and Liam Fix the California Housing Crisis (working title). Every week, Los Angeles Times housing reporter Liam Dillon and CALmatters' data reporter Matt Levin chat about the latest developments in California housing policy and interview a key housing newsmaker. This week, Matt and Liam discuss the major elements in the long-awaited housing package awaiting a vote in the Legislature, the muted impact of that package, and the interest groups that shape state housing policy. Liam then interviews Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) on the difficult politics behind housing. Listen to this podcast and we promise your rent will drop in half instantly. Check out Liam's work at latimes.com and Matt's work at calmatters.org
