New Year …
Same Affordability Crisis!
Housing costs continue to climb. Taxes and fees keep increasing. Gas, utility bills, insurance premiums, groceries and other basic necessities remain unaffordable for working families. Meanwhile, job growth has stalled, businesses are cutting back or leaving the state and lawmakers continue to pile on more costs and regulations that make everyday life more expensive for everyone.
This isn’t happening by accident. It happens when state leaders make choices that ignore warning signs, dismiss affordability concerns and prioritize political messaging over practical solutions.
California Deserves Better in the New Year
New Years generally brings hope. In 2025, Californians hoped that life might get a little easier, that costs might come down and that state leaders would finally take meaningful action to make California affordable again. But as 2026 begins, too many Californians are facing the same stark reality they’ve been struggling with for years: rising prices, shrinking opportunities and policymakers and regulators in Sacramento that continue to look the other way.
The fact of the matter is simple …
California’s affordability crisis is not improving. In far too many communities, it’s getting worse!
Families Are Paying the Price for Sacramento’s Failure
From Los Angeles to the Central Valley to the Bay Area and the Inland Empire, the affordability crisis impacts nearly every household. Parents who grew up in California now wonder whether their children will ever be able to live here. Seniors on fixed incomes are being squeezed by higher costs they simply cannot absorb. Young adults are working harder than ever but falling further behind.
At the same time, California’s economy is slowing. Major industries that once defined California, such as technology, entertainment, manufacturing, agriculture and food processing facilities are cutting jobs or relocating operations. California’s unemployment rate is the highest in the nation. Instead of addressing the root causes, state leaders are sticking to meaningless political talking points that don’t match the reality of the people they represent.
Affordability isn’t a talking point. It’s the single most defining challenge of our times. Unless California’s elected officials take it seriously, the consequences will continue to deepen: more families falling behind or leaving the state and fewer businesses investing here.
It’s Time For Real Solutions … Not More Excuses!
A new year offers a chance for a new direction. But it won’t happen by accident or with meaningless talking points. It will happen only if Sacramento politicians take decisive action, including smart spending and responsible budgeting, real regulatory reform and crafting policies that support growth beyond the Silicon Valley.