I never expected to own a home. I wasn't born into generational wealth. I grew up poor. There was-and is-no big family inheritance coming my way. Not property. Not cash. Not stocks or bonds or whatever financial instrument one might trade or sell or leverage to join the landed class.
At the very root of our affordability crisis is the high cost of housing. High rents and expensive homes are driving families and high-wage jobs out of California. Our housing crisis makes it harder to hire teachers, child care workers and law enforcement officers; and it is closely linked to our crisis of street homelessness.
California's emerging housing fracas over a single stairwell may become a lightning rod, affecting both building codes and capital investment in more multifamily projects in more places. California's Fire Marshal is reportedly in the final stages of a report due this month on whether the state will allow singlestair multifamily buildings above three stories, and on when and how they may be permitted.