NEWS & UPDATES
From the LeSar Portfolio of Firms
June 2026 Newsletter
California Housing Update: From Early Signals to Emerging Priorities in 2026
As the 2026 legislative session progresses, California’s housing agenda is beginning to take clearer shape. While early hearings focused on resolving second-year bills and [...]
Making Encampment Resolution Work: A Systems Approach from Palm Springs
Homeless encampments have grown across the U.S., driven by a shortage of affordable housing, limited resources, and fragmented systems that make coordinated responses difficult. [...]
The Human Impact of the Palm Springs Encampment Resolution Fund Program: Luke’s Journey Home
Article Contributor: Lizeth Hernandez Herrera, Case Manager, Jewish Family Service Despite the intractable nature of homelessness nationally, local success can still be achieved through coordinated, [...]
FY 2026 HUD Funding Enacted; Bipartisan Housing Reform Advances
After weeks of negotiation against the backdrop of a continuing resolution and broader appropriations process, Congress finalized full-year funding for the U.S. Department of Housing [...]
What We’re Reading
REPORTS / RESOURCES
Governor Newsom Announces Appointments 5.14.2026 | Office of Governor Gavin Newsom | May 2026
Revolving Loan Funds: The Hottest Trend in Housing Finance | Remapping Debate | May 2026
California Governor’s Forum Highlights Top Housing Issues Facing the Next Administration | Terner Center for Housing at UC Berkeley | May 2026
Post-Occupancy Evaluations for Affordable Housing Design | Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard | May 2026
ARTICLES/MEDIA
Former Costa Mesa Leader Named Chief of L.A. County Affordable Housing Agency | LA Times | May 22, 2026
Houston Habitat for Humanity Builds Modular Homes in One-Third the Construction Time of Traditional Houses | Planetizen | May 20, 2026
HUD Chief Defends Proposed Budget Cuts Amid Senate Scrutiny | Smart Cities Dive | May 18, 2026
How a Landlord Tried to Silence Tenants and Stop the Shelterforce Story | Shelterforce | May 18, 2026
Insurance Commissioner Candidates Float Bigger California Role | CalMatters | May 16, 2026
15 Housing Markets with the Biggest Home Price Declines Since the Pandemic Boom Ended | Fast Company | May 16, 2026
Newsom’s Last Budget: Cut California Spending Now, Save for the AI Bubble to Burst | CalMatters | May 14, 2026
California’s Second-Largest Home Insurer to Raise Rates This Fall | San Francisco Chronicle | May 11, 2026
Above the Tracks: China’s Unique Model for Transit-Oriented Development | Planetizen | May 8, 2026
‘Buckshot’ or Moonshot? Dem Candidates to Replace Newsom Offer Grand Plans for More Housing | Politico | May 7, 2026
With Rent Relief and Free Lawyers, LA Courts Attempt to Stop Evictions Before They Get to Trial | LAist | May 1, 2026