As the need for affordable housing sky-rockets in California, some communities are examining all types of potential spaces to house families. In the city of Madera's case, officials zeroed in on two abandoned parking lots in the heart of downtown to build an affordable housing complex. After beginning construction...
Starbucks, Home of the $4 Latte, Is Moving Into Poor Areas
DETROIT — Starbucks has a point to prove: There's more to the company than selling $4 lattes to rich people. The Seattle-based coffee giant that has cultivated a reputation for being socially responsible said Thursday it is expanding its effort to put more coffee shops — and create more jobs...
Disabled California Seniors in Complex Left Behind in Outage
NOVATO — One woman in her 80s tripped over another resident who had fallen on the landing in a steep stairwell. Others got disoriented, even in their own apartments, and cried out for help. At least 20 seniors with wheelchairs and walkers were essentially trapped, in the dark, in a...
County Tops State Average in English, Math — if Fresno Unified Isn't Counted
Nearly three-fourths of Fresno County students scored above the state average on both English language arts and mathematics standardized tests last year. In fact, the same contingent of Fresno County students tested above the state average in English language arts for the past three years. Listen to this article: But...
Will US Supreme Court End Inclusionary Zoning?
In a story that largely has flown under the radar, a major case involving inclusionary zoning in California could be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. A tip of the hat to City Lab's Kriston Capps for his story about a fight over inclusionary zoning in Marin County that began...
California Sues Auto Dealer for False Ads, Loan Documents
SACRAMENTO — California's attorney general sued Paul Blanco's Good Car Company on Monday, leveling accusations of false advertising and lying on loan documents to boost its profits at the expense of its mostly low-income customers. Xavier Becerra's lawsuit comes after a two-year investigation of the dealer known for its prolific...
Why Community-Owned Grocery Stores Like Co-Ops Are the Best Recipe for Revitalizing Food Deserts
Tens of millions of Americans go to bed hungry at some point every year. While poverty is the primary culprit, some blame food insecurity on the lack of grocery stores in low-income neighborhoods. That’s why cities, states and national leaders including former first lady Michelle Obama made eliminating so-called “food...
Compromise Bill Would Reduce Drug Costs for Seniors
WASHINGTON — Two veteran senators — a Republican and a Democrat — unveiled compromise legislation Tuesday to reduce prescription drug costs for millions of Medicare recipients, while saving money for federal and state health care programs serving seniors and low-income people. Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley and Oregon Democrat Ron Wyden...
California’s Struggle to Get Food Stamps to the Hungry
California, a state with the nation’s highest poverty rate, consistently ranks near the bottom when it comes to enrolling low-income people in CalFresh, the state’s name for the federal food stamp program. That translates to a lot of federal money that California forsakes each year. Low-income Californians would have received...
Cities Pledge to Find Solutions to California’s Homeless Crisis
With homelessness worsening, Californians are rightly frustrated that our state, with its abundance of wealth and resources, has not made better progress in helping people get off the streets and into housing. There is plenty of blame to go around. Major contributing factors include the challenges lower- and middle- income...