NEWS & UPDATES
From the LeSar Portfolio of Firms
August 2026 Newsletter
21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Becomes Law, Shifting Focus from Legislation to Implementation
After more than a year of bipartisan negotiations, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act officially became law on July 11, 2026, making it [...]
Affordability and Streamlining Remain in Focus as Newsom’s Final Legislative Session Nears Conclusion
The Legislature reconvened on August 3rd after its summer break with an eye on a continued push to address housing production and costs. The [...]
Five Insights into Building Housing Systems That Last: Lessons from Vienna
Around the world, cities are searching for solutions to the housing crisis, and communities are grappling with many of the same questions: How do [...]
What We’re Reading
REPORTS / RESOURCES
More Housing, Faster: Governor Newsom Signs Historic Housing Affordability Reforms | California Office of Governor Gavin Newsom | July 2026
Managing Property Insurance Costs in Multifamily Affordable Housing Organizations | Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard | July 2026
Out of Reach Report 2026 | National Low-Income Housing Coalition | July 2026
Does Rapid Re-Housing Reduce Homelessness? | California Policy Lab | July 2026
Pulse Check: Stakeholder Interviews Reveal Widespread Anxiety | National Alliance to End Homelessness | July 2026
21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Impacts on Low-Income Households | National Low Income Housing Coalition | July 2026
ARTICLES/MEDIA
Has Mass Timber’s Housing Moment Arrived in The South Bay? | San Jose Spotlight | July 24, 2026
This Demographic Shift Could Reshape Cities, Urban Institute Says | SmartCitiesDive | July 20, 2026
Proposed Federal Rule Would Undercut Fannie and Freddie’s Duty to Serve Underserved Markets | Shelterforce | July 17, 2026
Survey: Cost Pressures Disrupt Affordable Housing Pipeline | Affordable Housing Finance | July 17, 2026
These Are California’s Most Affordable And Least Affordable Cities. Both Lists Induce Sticker Shock | LA Times | July 16, 2026
When Churches Become Builders: New Data Chronicles the Rise of the YIGBY Movement | Planetizen | July 16, 2026
How Zoning, Home Building, and “Intentional Communities” Kept Rent Lower in Minneapolis | StreetsMN | July 16, 2026
California Sues 5 Cities for Missing Deadlines for New Housing | San Francisco Chronicle | July 16. 2026
Community Land Trusts Reimagine What Affordable Housing Could Look Like in San Diego | San Diego Union-Tribune | July 13, 2026
Here’s What the ‘Once-In-A-Lifetime’ Federal Housing Bill Means for California | CalMatters | July 10, 2026