Turning Unused Land into Living Spaces

Guess what? Governor Gavin Newsom just cranked the gear on California’s ambitious push for affordable housing! He introduced some major upgrades to the Excess Sites Program, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at transforming those sad, neglected patches of state land into actual homes. Yes, you heard that right, homes for real people who aren’t rolling in cash!

So, what’s the scoop? The revamped program now has a shiny new web portal designed to make it easier (read: way less frustrating) for developers to jump on board. Basically, it’s about time we stopped twiddling our thumbs and started building those much-needed affordable units. In true California style, this is the first program of its kind in the nation, pledging to release state-owned land that sits unused and available for development.

Newsom declares, “California is doing everything we can to give all Californians access to affordable housing as quickly as possible”. Maybe we can hope for more than just flowery speeches now!

What’s New?

The state’s Department of General Services (DGS) and the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) are working together to streamline this initiative. Since the governor’s 2019 executive order, they have piled up almost 4,300 housing units, yes, that’s a sizeable dent in our housing crisis! The new sites are expected to house at least 2,000 families as they go from blueprints to bricks and mortar.

Amy Tong, Government Operations Agency Secretary, remarked, “We’re harnessing technology and innovation to help accelerate the rate of affordable housing construction”. Translated, this means they’re not just digging in their heels but also embracing new tools and ideas to fix our grave housing problems.

Recent Wins 🎉

Now let’s take a moment to celebrate some recent projects part of this noble mission. We’ve got 58 new units in Sacramento housing a job training center, a 48-unit project in Fresno that repurposed the old Reedley Armory, and a sizable community in South Lake Tahoe that’s literally rising from the ashes of neglected land.

The Road Ahead

As housing costs skyrocket and the rent eats up more of our paychecks, initiatives like the Excess Sites Program offer a glimmer of hope. Let’s keep the pressure on our officials to turn these plans into reality. After all, we’re not just fighting for affordable housing; we’re fighting for a home in this crazy world that wants to squeeze every dollar out of us. Let’s make housing a right, not a privilege!