The Affordability Crisis

The Problem of Affordability: A Cost-of-Living Crisis Driven by Systems That No Longer Serves Working People

Every day, Californians are pushed farther away from jobs, services, and the places they call home. California families are being crushed by costs—housing, energy, food, childcare, and insurance—while giant corporations and billionaires buy up land, drive up prices, and reshape communities they rarely live in. When mortgages, rent, electricity, and food costs  rise faster than wages, families are forced to choose between essentials—heating their homes, filling a prescription, paying rent, or buying food.

PG&E continues to operate as an abusive monopoly with the highest electricity rates in the nation, while ratepayers are forced to cover wildfire damages that PG&E itself caused.

At the same time, Wall Street investment firms and ultra-wealthy buyers are turning family neighborhoods into vacation enclaves, forcing out the local workers, teachers, and farmers who keep our communities functioning.

This isn’t a rational economic outcome. It’s a structural imbalance that puts profit ahead of people.

A sustainable food economy starts with a simple truth:

if we want fresh, healthy, affordable food for every family—especially low-income families—we cannot expect farmers to subsidize it out of their own pockets. Farmers already operate on razor-thin margins while facing rising land costs, climate-driven weather extremes, labor shortages, and volatile markets.

To reverse these destructive trends, we need smarter public investments that make nutritious food accessible while ensuring our agricultural producers can thrive. Programs like Market Match, Senior Farmers Market Bonus Bucks, and other nutrition incentives show how government can help consumers afford fresh produce without shifting the financial burden onto farmers. These programs strengthen local food systems, support small producers, and ensure that healthy food is within reach for families, seniors, and vulnerable communities.

Reshape California’s Food Economy

A sustainable food economy must rebuild the connection between people and where their food comes from—from garden to table, from farm to school, and from local soil to local markets. This means expanding community gardens, supporting farm-to-school programs, and investing in regional food hubs that make it easier for local farmers to sell directly to their communities. In 1998, I founded California FarmLink to help farmers access land and capital when no one else would lend to them. What started as a small nonprofit is now a nationally recognized Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that has delivered more than 900 loans and $100 million in financing to farmers who were shut out of traditional banking.

By supporting small farmers, protecting working lands, expanding nutrition incentives, and rebuilding our regional food infrastructure, we can create a North Bay food economy that is environmentally sustainable, affordable for families, and economically viable for the people who grow our food.

California can address its housing crisis, but only with a practical toolkit that blends public investment, private-sector participation, and local innovation. These solutions will make more of our housing stock available to those in need and build more homes. They will also make it possible for teachers, nurses, farmworkers, young families, and essential workers to afford to live and thrive in the Golden State.

Here are a few practical ideas that California can put to use immediately:

Expand the smart use of tax credits and bond financing. 

The federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) remains the nation’s most effective tool for producing affordable rental housing. By supporting mixed-income developments—where a portion of units serve very low-income families, and the rest are at market rates —we can make more projects economically viable. California should also embrace new approaches, such as the proposed federal Workforce Housing Tax Credit (WFHTC), designed specifically to help “missing middle” households earning between 80% and 120% of the areas median income.

Additionally, tax-exempt bonds issued by agencies like the California Statewide Communities Development Authority (CSCDA) can be used to acquire existing market-rate apartment buildings and convert them into permanently affordable, income-

restricted units—preserving affordability without waiting years for new construction.

Local governments must be empowered and incentivized to accelerate the development of workforce housing.

Communities should use proven tools, such as density bonuses, that allow developers to build more units in exchange for dedicating a portion to affordable or workforce housing. Expedited permitting and reduced development fees can also significantly cut costs and timelines—removing barriers that often make housing construction prohibitively expensive. Inclusionary zoning, when paired with reasonable incentives, helps ensure that new developments include affordable homes while still remaining financially feasible. And, where cities control underutilized public land, donating or discounting that land for workforce housing can dramatically lower development costs. Community land trusts offer another long-term strategy: by holding land in public or nonprofit ownership, they permanently reduce the cost of housing and keep communities stable for generations.

California’s housing crisis demands practical, scalable solutions that lower costs, expand supply, and ensure that working families, seniors, and young people can afford to live in the communities they call home. We don’t need slogans—we need tools that actually work. 

Climate change is an existential threat to our planet, our communities, and future generations. I believe deeply in the principle “think globally, act locally.” That means grounding ambitious climate action in what we can do right here in the North Bay and across California to begin healing our planet.

Here in the North Bay, several priorities stand out. First, we must respond with solutions rooted in ecological systems thinking, not just increased spending. Second, we need smarter water policy, including storage, conservation, and strong protections for agricultural users and the many residents who rely on private wells. Third, we must maintain our Urban Growth Boundaries and safeguard open spaces while supporting habitat restoration for keystone species such as salmon. This includes incentivizing wildlife-friendly agricultural practices that preserve working lands while protecting biodiversity.

At the state level, California must continue to lead. Our top priorities should be:

Addressing the accelerating impacts of climate change;

Reversing or countering Trump administration's rollbacks of long-standing environmental protections—strengthening California law where needed to maintain our current standards.

Evaluating the increasing number of proposed California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemptions. We need to distinguish between measures that intentionally undermine CEQA’s core mission and those that support positive environmental outcomes. Governor Newsom recently signed AB 1139, which is an example of careful, constructive state-level reform—streamlining access to parks for pedestrians by expanding a targeted CEQA exemption while still upholding strong environmental safeguards.

Meeting the challenge of climate change requires honest leadership, smart policy, and a long-term commitment to protecting both our citizens and our planet. 

As the son of a public-school teacher, I believe deeply that every child deserves a fair chance to thrive. I’m proud of my work as a community college instructor, a religious-school teacher, and a youth soccer coach for my daughters. These experiences keep me grounded in what families need and what our schools must deliver. I know that Education must be the foundation of equal opportunity, not a system that tracks children into separate paths with unequal opportunities. Every child deserves a high-quality, inspiring education that opens doors rather than closes them.

Every student—regardless of background—deserves to be challenged, supported, informed, and given access to the same enriching experiences, from museums and science centers to concerts, outdoor learning, and nature-based programs. As I demonstrated in the Gravenstein Union School District, ending inequitable dual-track systems and ensuring that all students learn together strengthens academic outcomes, builds community, and gives every child a high-quality, inspiring education that opens doors - and minds - rather than closing them.

But equal opportunity also means recognizing the profound mental-health challenges young people face today. The pressures of modern life—combined with a nonstop flow of social media promoting unrealistic appearance standards, toxic self-judgement, and algorithm-based addiction to smartphones—are taking a cruel toll on our kids.

Too many students are struggling with anxiety, depression, and self-esteem issues without adequate support. That’s why it’s essential that schools invest in robust mental-health resources, from on-site counselors and wellness programs to partnerships with local providers. When we prioritize the emotional well-being of young people and give them the tools to see and cope with the real world (instead of a virtual one) we create healthier students, stronger families, and a more resilient future for all.

As a School Board Member and Board President, I fought hard for equity—ensuring that every student had access to the same high-quality education and that  teachers received the compensation and benefits they deserve. I believe in investing ‘upstream’ by expanding mental-health counseling that can identify the students who need support early and help them succeed.

I also know that the diverse school districts in our 10th Assembly District cannot be approached like those in San Francisco or Los Angeles. I’ve seen firsthand how state bureaucrats impede small districts’ efforts to modernize— delaying  energy-efficient  upgrades and basic facility improvements for years. I will push to streamline these processes and end the one-size-fits-all approach that undermines our schools and our kids.

As your Assemblymember, I will champion the whole child by:

Fully funding our schools, including strong support for English language learners.

Attracting, retaining, and supporting excellent teachers.

Expanding early-childhood education.

Increasing access to student mental-health screening and care.

Building robust science, technology, arts, and math programs.

Our kids deserve nothing less—and I’m ready to fight for them in Sacramento.

Our healthcare system has become one of the clearest reflections of income inequality in America.

This isn’t an accident —it’s the predictable outcome of a system where corporate executives and investors profit from sickness, scarcity, and the administrative barriers that keep people from receiving the care they need when they need it.

Access to quality care increasingly depends on wealth, employment status, ZIP code, and the ability to navigate a confusing insurance industry designed to maximize profits rather than patient well-being. For decades, large insurance companies and healthcare providers have driven up costs while narrowing networks, denying claims, and limiting access to specialists. Meanwhile, families pay more for deductibles, premiums, and prescription drugs than almost anywhere in the developed world. 

One of the most egregious examples is the aggressive marketing of Medicare Advantage plans. These plans are sold as cheaper, better, and more flexible alternatives to traditional Medicare—but the truth is far more troubling: Medicare Advantage allows private insurance companies to take control of federal healthcare dollars that were intended to support seniors directly. Companies profit by restricting networks, limiting treatments, and denying claims at far higher rates than traditional Medicare. Investigations have shown widespread overbilling, deceptive advertising, and inflated diagnoses used to pull more federal funds into insurers' hands. Seniors believe they are signing up for high-quality, low-cost coverage, but too often they discover—when they get sick or need specialized care—that their plan is more about protecting corporate profits than protecting patients. That is “health care”  driven by greed, not by need.

In the State Assembly, I will write laws to ensure our healthcare system is fully transparent, fully funded, and centered on patient care first—not on the profit margins of insurance companies and  corporate providers.

Bringing people together across lines of faith, culture, and identity is one of the most effective ways to weaken hate and strengthen community bonds.

Here in the North Bay, we see every day how diverse our communities truly are. A single school district in Santa Rosa or San Rafael may have students who speak 20 different languages at home. Within that diversity, I see shared dreams and shared challenges—issues that cross cultural backgrounds and unite children, families, and neighborhoods. That is why I believe California must continue the work already begun by the legislators who formed the state’s Diversity Caucuses. The Asian Pacific Islander, Black, Jewish, Latino, and LGBTQ Caucuses have built a powerful coalition in Sacramento committed to tolerance, inclusion, and standing united against hate—including the surge of hate crimes that targeted Asian American communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. I look forward to working with these caucuses to advance our common vision for a society that celebrates diversity and teaches every child the values of respect and empathy.

In the State Assembly, I will advocate for new measures to ensure that tolerance, empathy, and historical truth are core parts of our school curriculum. Our students must learn about European pogroms, the ethnic cleansing of Native Americans, Southern slavery, the Holocaust, the Armenian genocide, the Rwandan genocide, and the Bosnian genocide. We must do so not to dwell on the past, but to help students understand how quickly hate can take root when people turn away. And I will ensure that teachers have the resources and training they need to reach students across ethnic, racial, cultural, and linguistic lines.

I also applaud California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond’s leadership, particularly for establishing a statewide hotline for bullying, harassment, intimidation, or exclusion in schools based on religion, gender identity, race, culture, or ethnicity. Tools like this make a real difference, and I will work to expand them.

Finally, I will champion stronger training for law enforcement so that our police can more effectively recognize hate crimes, understand the factors that drive them, and respond with cultural competency and trauma-sensitive practices. Protecting immigrants, religious minorities, LGBTQ residents, and every community threatened by hate is not just good public policy—it is our moral obligation.

California’s approach to protecting immigrant communities is rooted in a simple principle: uphold the fair and equal rule of law while ensuring that no family is torn apart by indiscriminate or politically motivated raids.

“Sanctuary City” laws have been widely mischaracterized as inhibiting law enforcement. The truth is that these laws do not shield violent offenders. Local police and District Attorneys retain full authority to arrest and prosecute anyone who threatens community safety. What these policies actually do is prevent federal authorities from conducting broad, ethnicity-based sweeps that undermine trust, destabilize neighborhoods, and compromise real public safety.

At a time when ICE is carrying out sweeping raids that resemble ethnic cleansing rather than professional law enforcement, California must continue to stand firm. In the Legislature, I will work to strengthen the ability of local law enforcement, DAs, and judges to push back against federal overreach and government-sponsored domestic terrorism.. And I will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our communities of all origins—peacefully protesting and speaking out whenever basic human rights are threatened.

As the son of a Holocaust survivor, I understand the dangers of the government targeting people based on who they are. I will never allow that to happen in our state.

I strongly believe in real criminal justice reform—one that keeps our neighborhoods safe while honoring the civil rights and dignity of every resident. 

Criminal justice reform should never mean choosing between safe communities and civil rights. We can and must have both. To me, reform means investing in schools and opportunity, not prisons, and addressing the root causes of crime with smart, evidence-based strategies. It means ending failed and inhumane policies like the death penalty and resentencing those who have been subjected to excessive, outdated punishments.

A modern justice system must also prioritize the rights of victims, ensure restitution, and expand tools such as mental-health and drug-treatment courts so people can break cycles of addiction and instability. I support community prosecutors who build strong relationships with neighborhoods and targeted enforcement to combat worker exploitation and human trafficking—where vulnerable people are too often abused with impunity.

Fight Crime with  Education, Not Prisons

• Prioritize funding for education, youth development, and prevention programs over incarceration.

Address Root Causes of Crime

• Expand mental health care, addiction treatment, housing stability, and economic opportunity.

Abolish the Death Penalty

• Replace capital punishment with sentencing alternatives that are more humane and cost-effective.

Review Death Row Sentencing

• Ensure that individuals given the death penalty receive fair resentencing reviews.

Strengthen Victim Rights and Restitution

• Expand support services for survivors, ensure restitution, and include the rights and suffering of victims in the justice process.

Expand Mental Health and Drug Courts

• Prioritize treatment-oriented alternatives to incarceration for individuals with behavioral health needs.

Review Excessive Sentences

• Review and reduce overly harsh or outdated sentences, aligning them with modern standard.

Establish and Support Community Prosecutors

• Embed prosecutors in neighborhoods to build trust, solve problems, and improve safety collaboratively.

Strengthen Worker-Exploitation and Human-Trafficking Enforcement

• Expand task forces that protect vulnerable workers from abuse, trafficking, and exploitation.

Judicial and Prosecutorial Discretion for Juveniles

• Allow judges and DAs to handle juvenile felony cases with a rehabilitation-first approach. Judges and prosecutors should have greater discretion to treat juveniles differently from adults, focusing on rehabilitation rather than lifelong criminalization. That approach strengthens public safety, reduces recidivism, and reflects our values as a state committed to fairness and opportunity.