NEWS & UPDATES
From the LeSar Portfolio of Firms
February 2025 Newsletter
Governor’s 2025 Budget Proposal
Governor Newsom highlighted the state's housing progress as part of his 2025 budget proposal. Under the Surplus Land Act of 2021, over 30,000 new units have been added to [...]
California Legislature Convenes in Light of Wildfire Disasters, Focusing on Key Housing Themes
In Fall 2024, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law over 60 housing-related bills, most of which became effective January 1, 2025. These new laws will likely shape housing [...]
Rising Housing Insurance Rates are Impacting Owners and Developers
Nearly every day since the recent wildfires in Los Angeles started on January 7th, 2025, the Governor has issued executive orders waiving fees, permitting and review requirements under the California [...]
New Administration’s First Month Signals Shift in Approach to Housing and Homelessness
The new Trump administration ushered in new appointments and executive orders that both underscored the need for affordable housing and signaled a shift in approach towards housing and homelessness, [...]
Biden-Harris Administration Awards $100M in Second HUD PRO Housing Grants
Note: Last week, the Trump budget office issued and then rescinded a memo freezing spending on federal loans and grants, sparking widespread confusion and legal challenges across the country. [...]
What We’re Reading
REPORTS / RESOURCES
Understanding the Governor’s 2025-26 State Budget Proposal | California Budget & Policy Center | January 2025
Governor Newsom Issues Executive Order to Fast-Track Temporary Housing For Los Angeles Firestorm Area | California Governor’s Office | January 2025
Advancing Equity: Strategies, Tactics, and Best Practices for Disaster-Impacted Communities | National Low Income Housing Coalition
Permanent Supportive Housing: Building On What Works to End Chronic Homelessness | Terner Center for Housing Innovation | January 2025
California’s Economy | Public Policy Institute of California | January 2025
Lessons from California’s Statewide Efforts to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing | Terner Center for Housing Innovation | December 2024
ARTICLES/MEDIA
Trump To Nominate Bill Pulte as FHFA Director | Housing Wire | January 16, 2025
LA Fires: Why California Keeps Putting Homes Where Fires Burn | Cal Matters | January 16, 2025
How The LA Fires Could Exacerbate California’s Homelessness Crisis | Cal Matters | January 15, 2025
Why the New Social Housing Movement Needs to Think About Design | Joint Center for Housing Studies | January 9, 2025
California Housing Market Update: ‘Window of Opportunity’ May Be Ending | Newsweek | January 8, 2025
CPI Report Today: Home Sales Decline Amid High Housing Costs, California Wildfires, And Frigid Weather in Other Parts of U.S. | Fortune | January 16, 2025
It’s A Make-Or-Break Moment for Housing In California | Vox | January 16, 2025
Climate Change is Making Homeownership Even More Unaffordable | New York Times | December 23, 2024
The Housing Affordability Crisis Is Going Global | Wall Street Journal | December 16, 2024
Mortgage Regulators Are Shrugging Off Climate Risk. It Could Cost Taxpayers Billions. | New York Times | December 7, 2024
