NEWS & UPDATES
From the LeSar Portfolio of Firms
June 2025 Newsletter
Federal Reconciliation Bill Includes Key Affordable Housing Provisions
In late May, the House of Representatives passed budget reconciliation tax legislation that includes key bipartisan low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) provisions, which would expand the program. The bill [...]
Governor’s May Revise Reflects Negative Fiscal Outlook, With Reversions and No New Funding
Article Contributor: Jacqueline Woo, Senior Associate, Research & PolicyThe Legislature is entering the midpoint of the year, and the focus turns to the budget, which must be adopted by June [...]
Governor’s Reorganization of the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency Moves Forward
Article Contributor: Jacqueline Woo, Senior Associate, Research & PolicyAs California grapples with persistent challenges around housing, homelessness, and consumer trust, Governor Newsom unveiled his vision for change earlier this year. [...]
“We Are Trying to Evolve and Change the System”: An Interview with Dr. Susan Eggman on the Behavioral Health Services Program
Article Contributor: Jacqueline Woo, Senior Associate, Research & Policy In early May, Governor Newsom announced $3.3B in Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure (BHCIP) grant funding for 124 projects across the state, [...]
Global Policy Leadership Academy’s Regional Housing Finance Authority Forum Complements San Diego’s Emerging Efforts
In March, San Diego Unified School District (SD Unified) introduced a resolution to establish a Regional Housing Finance Authority (RHFA) with the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) in [...]
What We’re Reading
REPORTS / RESOURCES
Governor Newsom Releases State Model for Cities and Counties to Immediately Address Encampments with Urgency and Dignity | Office of Governor Gavin Newsom | 2025
Understanding the Governor’s 2025-26 May Revision | California Budget and Policy Center | May 2025
Infrastructure’s Role in Housing Development | National League of Cities | May 2025 (paywalled)
Supporting the Implementation of CalAIM within Permanent Supportive Housing | Terner Center for Housing | May 2025
Displaced by Design: Fifty Years of Gentrification and Black Cultural Displacement in US Cities | National Community Reinvestment Coalition | May 2025
ARTICLES/MEDIA
After a Pandemic Downturn, U.S. Cities are Growing Again. That’s Good News for This Economy | Marketplace | May 22, 2025
FHFA’s Bill Pulte Turns Up the Heat on FICO | HousingWire | May 21, 2025
Why California’s Biggest Local Effort to Fight Homelessness is Starting All Over Again | CalMatters | May 20, 2025
‘They want more?’ State Farm increases California Home Insurance Rate Hike Request to 30% | San Francisco Chronicle | May 20, 2025
In a State with a Dire Affordable Housing Shortage, Does the Coachella Valley Offer Hope? | Los Angeles Times | May 19, 2025
Does Building Homes Lead to Lower Housing Costs? New Research is Roiling the Debate | San Francisco Chronicle | May 17, 2025
Here’s How Many Homes Downtown S.F. Office Conversions Might Create Under New Incentives | San Francisco Chronicle | May 16, 2025
“Peers, Partners, and Equals”: How a Tiny California Nonprofit Gets Unhoused People Back on Their Feet | Mother Jones | May 15, 2025
Newsom Throws Support Behind Housing Proposals to Ease Construction and Reform Permitting Restrictions | Los Angeles Times | May 14, 2025
What’s Happened with Housing Since Trump Came Into Office | Shelterforce | May 12, 2025