Steyer, Becerra, Porter and Mahan offer rival California housing plans
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · May 7
Steyer, Becerra, Porter and Mahan offer rival California housing plans
13 articles · Updated · POLITICO · May 7
Steyer targets one million homes in four years, Becerra says he would fast-track 40,000 shovel-ready units, Porter aims to cut multifamily building costs 20%, and Mahan rejects numeric targets.
All four backed recent state moves to curb local control over housing, but their plans differ on zoning, modular construction, fee cuts, enforcement and whether new revenues are needed.
The proposals address a crisis Newsom has struggled to ease: California is likely to meet only about a quarter of his 3.5 million-home pledge, while rents remain burdensome and vacancies tight.
As state laws fail against local resistance, can California’s next governor actually force cities to build more homes?
Will building millions of new homes help families, or will it simply fuel a market dominated by corporate investors?
Enforcing Housing Compliance and Political Stakes: California’s 2026 Race to Solve the Housing Crisis
Overview
California has taken strong legal action to enforce state housing laws, exemplified by the 2025 appellate court ruling that forced Huntington Beach to update its housing plan and limited its local permitting powers, rejecting claims of exemption due to charter city status. This ruling set a key precedent supporting state authority over local resistance. Complementing litigation, Governor Newsom's administration created the Housing Accountability Unit, which has already facilitated over 10,000 housing units by ensuring local compliance. Despite these efforts, high construction costs, labor shortages, and local tactics like environmental delays continue to hinder housing supply growth and slow rebuilding after disasters. Meanwhile, California faces a severe homelessness crisis, with nearly a quarter of the U.S. homeless population, and a 2026 gubernatorial race shaped by competing housing strategies amid political divisions.