Today all Californians 50 and older are now eligible to get their coveted COVID vaccine — including one politically imperiled 53-year-old governor. Gov. Gavin Newsom celebrated this latest benchmark by getting a well-publicized jab himself, thus marking the beginning of the end of what has been a particularly thorny political...
How Did $2.7 Billion in California Housing Bonds Disappear? Cue the Finger-Pointing.
Before California’s housing shortage contributed to a surge in homelessness and tipped median home prices close to $700,000, an obscure state financing agency led by top elected officials had the opportunity over the last decade to help private developers build a trove of affordable housing. The California Debt Limit Allocation...
Walters : Factory-Produced Housing Could Help Solve Affordability Crisis
Two years ago, CalMatters housing writer Matt Levin described a factory in Vallejo that was building housing modules that could quickly — and relatively inexpensively — be assembled into multi-story apartment houses. Levin described the factory as more resembling an automobile assembly line than a construction site. “They build one floor approximately...
Coastal Commission Phases Out Off-Roading at Oceano Dunes
The California Coastal Commission on Thursday ordered an end to off-road vehicles at Oceano Dunes state park within three years in a decision that climaxes 40 years of acrimony and debate. The commissioners voted unanimously to approve a new coastal permit for Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area with the...
As State Attorney General Job Morphs Post-Trump, Who Will Be Newsom’s Pick?
The last time a California governor chose a new attorney general, Donald Trump had just been elected president. As Democrats geared up to make California the “Resistance State,” newly appointed state attorney general Xavier Becerra quickly went to work suing the Trump administration. He kept it up at a mind-boggling clip, filing...
Here’s Why Your Electricity Prices are High and Soaring
California’s electricity prices are among the highest in the country, new research says, and those costs are falling disproportionately on a customer base that’s already struggling to pay their bills. PG&E customers pay about 80% more per kilowatt-hour than the national average, according to a study by the energy institute at UC...
Fact-Checking Newsom’s 2021 State of the State Speech
As California’s governor delivered his annual address — this time from Dodger Stadium — the CalMatters reporting team offered the following corrections, clarifications and context. Thank you, Madame Lt. Governor, for your kind introduction. And good evening to those joining us virtually tonight – Speaker Rendon, Pro Tem Atkins, members...
Despite His Popularity, Unique Recall Rules Could Spell Trouble for Newsom
If recalls followed the rules of a normal California election — the person who wins a majority of the votes wins — then Gavin Newsom, the incumbent Democratic governor in a thoroughly Democratic state, would have nothing to worry about. But unfortunately for him, a California recall is not like an ordinary California...
A Teacher’s View: The Risk of Reopening Schools is There, but It’s Small
Like teachers across the country, I’ve been on Zoom for what feels like forever. And while I do my best to fill my third grade class with positivity and silliness, I know many of my students are struggling. When their cameras go off, it’s often because they are holding back...
Opinion: The Missing Ingredient for Restaurants in a COVID-19 Recovery
California restaurant owners and employees have celebrated the end of strict lockdowns and begun the process of reopening. While California remains the only state in the nation to continue to ban indoor dining, most of us are back cooking, serving and – especially – cleaning for our valued customers. Unfortunately...