Scott Beyer of Market Urbanism Report confirms why tiny house construction must be accessible for developers — a timely issue, as the city of San Jose now allows tiny homes on wheels (THOWs) as of 2020. In a city short on supply and high on costs, tiny homes afford everyday residents the opportunity to purchase a home, debt-free.

Alameda County’s eviction moratorium, implemented during the pandemic and extended this year by way of AB 2179, has been broadly disputed by property owners — and is currently being sued by five Bay Area housing providers. Writing to the ALCO Supes on “this economically, socially, and morally irresponsible rule,” the Business and Housing Network (BAHN) warns that ordering landlords to retain non-paying tenants is pushing hardworking local businessowners into bankruptcy.

Kevin McGary—President of Every Black Life Matters, Chairman of the Frederick Douglass Foundation of California (FRED)—addresses why the well-intentioned idea of equity cannot inform local public policy decisions, as advocated by SJ’s Racial Equity Action Plan. If it’s impossible to secure equal outcomes within one’s family, what’s the point of demanding it in the workplace and society more largely?

Post-COVID, remote work rates have skyrocketed, many Californians now preferring to be “on the clock” in their own homes. Recently, SJ and SF were even rated #5 and #7 in the nation for remote work-friendly cities. On the flipside, Arpit Gupta points out the fiscal consequences of an increasingly remote workforce. He suggests that strategically deregulating zoning and housing construction could turn things around for local metropolitan attrition statistics.

Educational commentator Larry Sand breaks down how U.S. education is better funded than our military, yet over 80% feeds into teacher/admin salaries. While many believe public teachers are underpaid, says Sand, the data demonstrates the opposite phenomenon. For instance, by the most recent data, SJUSD teachers earn, on average, over $122,000/year including benefits — a far cry from poverty.

Public policy expert John Maniaci breaks down the Golden State’s abundance of by-right housing measures, through which specially designated housing projects can cut through the public approval process. While well-meaning, Maniaci posits that such laws constrain local leaders’ ability to decide what works for their community. For cities across CA, should Sacramento pols be calling the shots from afar?

Experienced consultant Timothy L. Coyle breaks down how rent control further worsens California’s housing crisis. Though advocates intend and claim the opposite, rent control—dominating local cities’ ordinances, such as SJ—leads to housing scarcity and unaffordability for local residents. Proposition 21 may have been rejected in 2020, but the battle is far from over, says Coyle.

Is it not a logical stance—poses Edward Ring of the California Policy Center—that building thousands of expensive local units to offer locals without preconditions, without costs, without barriers, is an unsustainable model? In the Epoch Times, Ring thoughtfully critiques the Housing First approach to the homelessness epidemic, rebutting claims made in the SJ Spotlight this August.

News analyst Chris Reed scrutinizes the Employment Development Department’s (EDD) phlegmatic responses to unemployment claims during the pandemic. Though widely excused based on COVID’s elevated claims, Reed demonstrates that the EDD’s indolence is actually common during regular claim spikes; and they have long resisted technological advancements and efficient practices so that the EDD can maintain government jobs—and their accessory union dues.