On October 15, HAC members gathered for our State Legislative Package Planning Session, a working discussion to identify the statewide policy priorities HAC will advance in 2026. The session focused on practical, high-impact reforms that directly affect housing feasibility, homeownership, construction efficiency, and long-term affordability.

Interesting conversations from my time at YIMBYtown

On September 24, HAC hosted Kyle Vansice of Cedar and Ramie Dare of Mercy Housing California for a conversation on overcoming barriers to building housing. Vansice showcased Cedar, a zoning and design platform helping developers unlock infill sites, while Dare shared the financial and regulatory hurdles affordable housing faces today. Together, they highlighted both the innovative tools and on-the-ground realities needed to speed up, simplify, and expand housing production.

Ahead of our September 10th Regulatory Committee, HAC and RaaP Builders are launching a new conversation on construction cost best practices—spotlighting why California builds at nearly 3× the cost of Texas and what we can do about it.

We’ll dig into hard and soft cost drivers, explore smarter procurement and modular strategies, and share lessons from the field to help members deliver more affordable homes, faster.

At our August 27th Regional Committee, HAC welcomed Senator Scott Wiener and SF Planning Director Rachael Tanner for a deep dive into the bold housing policies shaping 2025. Senator Wiener shared candid updates on state housing bills — from CEQA reform to starter home legislation — while Tanner unveiled San Francisco’s historic Family Zoning plan, set to unlock 36,000 new homes and reshape the city’s zoning map for the first time in decades.

Together, their insights highlighted how Sacramento’s legislative push and San Francisco’s zoning overhaul are working in tandem to tackle California’s housing crisis.

Our Executive Director Corey Smith writes about three reasons for people to be optimistic about housing in San Francisco

This month’s conversation underscored how California’s housing challenges are shaped by forces at both ends of the policy spectrum. From Capitol insider views on the latest federal housing legislation and budget negotiations to a statewide advocate’s warning about the deep funding and infrastructure gaps slowing progress, the committee heard candid assessments of where the biggest levers lie—and what’s standing in the way.

This month’s Regulatory Committee brought together two vital perspectives on housing in California: a Capitol insider’s view on the latest legislation and budget dynamics, and a statewide advocate’s outlook on the deep funding gaps holding us back from hitting our housing goals.

This month, I explore how San Francisco's new rezoning plan offers a promising blueprint for implementing abundance principles through smart and measured growth, while also emphasizing that rezoning is just one piece of the puzzle.

This month’s Regulatory Committee brought together two vital perspectives on housing in California: a Capitol insider’s view on the latest legislation and budget dynamics, and a statewide advocate’s outlook on the deep funding gaps holding us back from hitting our housing goals.

Our Regulatory Committee hosted an illuminating session featuring JP Walsh of Panoramic Interests and Elizabeth Funk of DignityMoves, offering a dynamic deep dive into two key dimensions of California’s housing response: development finance and innovative interim housing.

As the legislative cycle heats up, here’s an update on the status of the pro-housing pieces of legislation we’re sponsoring this year.

This month, I explore how San Francisco's new rezoning plan offers a promising blueprint for implementing abundance principles through smart and measured growth, while also emphasizing that rezoning is just one piece of the puzzle.

Our Regulatory Committee explored two housing challenges facing California: widespread student homelessness across CA’s public colleges and a collapsing fire insurance market. Learn how these parallel crises impact development statewide and what solution experts propose to address them.

HAC’s Regulatory Committee hosted Tom Mayhew, partner at Farella Braun + Martel LLP and HAC’s lead attorney, for an in-depth look at our lawsuit against the City of Lafayette over its non-compliant Housing Element, and what’s at stake for housing accountability statewide.

San Francisco’s bold zoning overhaul could finally address the city’s housing crisis—here's how.

California has passed important laws to support housing, but big barriers still remain. In 2025, HAC is backing new legislation to cut delays, lower costs, and get more homes built.

As a Democrat and pro-housing advocate, Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson’s book, Abundance, is music to my ears.