☆ Educational researcher: CA should be analyzing why some charters succeed and others fail
Stanford University's 2023 National Charter School Study spells out encouraging news for California charter schools, in which historically disadvantaged students perform better than their trad zip-code school “twins.” But their findings only tell half of the story, says the University of Illinois' Paul Bruno (an experienced researcher of CA charter schools). In this Opp Now exclusive, Bruno unpacks Stanford's results, and why we should study the factors behind large disparities between charters.
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☆ Oliverio: Absurdly long new hire onboarding process contributes to SJ City's labor woes
Are local unions saber-rattling over a potential strike, or is it just an oblique way to throw hair at a mayor who beat their chosen candidate last fall? Planning Commissioner and former CM Pierluigi Oliverio chats on the phone with Opp Now about the latest skirmish between City management and unions over new contracts. An Opp Now exclusive.
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SF case study: PSH doesn't (shouldn't) stand the test of time
As SJ leaders squabble over prioritizing quick vs. long-term homeless housing, the Hoover Institution points out why Permanent Supportive Housing has largely failed in SF. It's expensive; bureaucratic; and “barrier-free” generally translates to unsanitary, violent, overwhelming living conditions. Not to mention, many PSH tenants stay long term in tax-funded housing or return to homelessness.
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☆ Former SJ CM: Ortiz & Torres & Candelas out of line intimidating local business to unionize
A quick quiz: if you were a local businessperson, and you received a letter on city stationery saying you should unionize, would you feel a little, you know, coerced? Former CM Pete Constant weighs in on the hijinks of Ortiz, Torres, and Candelas in their efforts to bully local business Premier Recycle Company into unionizing. An Opp Now exclusive.
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☆ Waite: To break SJ City/Labor impasse, consider 18-month, instead of 3-year, contracts
Contract negotiations hit an impasse. Much posturing from Labor ensues. Strike threats loom. Pat Waite, chief of Citizens for Responsibility, offers a Third Way to call a halt to the Kabuki-like maneuvering: shorter contracts. An Opp Now exclusive.
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LA perspective: Oppressive zoning restrictions keep unhoused people unhoused
If local pols continue labeling homelessness as fundamentally a housing problem, it's time they address our restrictive zoning laws, says USC prof/housing expert Benjamin Henwood. These policies constrain housing supply, failing to meet market demand while ridiculously driving up homebuying costs—and this further complicates solutions for folks in the homelessness cycle. Originally from LAist.
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Insight: Even LA's progressive City Council vouches for CARE Court
CARE Court, passed statewide with “bipartisan and near-unanimous approval,” permits judges to send severely mentally ill/substance addicted individuals to compelled treatment. While many praise the bill as a step forward for local street safety, others like Supe Ellenberg are more dubious. Justin Gordon remarks on Twitter (below) that support for CARE Court is wide ranging, including even the far-left LA City Council when expediting the adoption process earlier this year.
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☆ Real estate prof: “Right to housing” amendment can't wave a wand and make housing scarcity disappear
CA isn't the first state to attempt to legally codify the access to housing (see ACA 10 perspectives here): for instance, if we look at NY's '80s-established “right to shelter.” Brooklyn Law School Real Estate Finance professor David Reiss discusses how local housing shortages are exacerbated by zoning codes that constrain and discourage new construction. He emphasizes our need for comprehensive, long-term strategies to increase housing supply—which are more effective than top-down controls, like laws guaranteeing shelter rights. An Opp Now exclusive.
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SJ City sets record straight on labor negotiations status
All sorts of wild claims are (predictably) emanating from the Labor Left about the impasse the City has reached with some unions regarding new contracts. The City's fact-based review of the current situation appears below.
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☆ Analysis: Why local lefties are melting down over race-neutral college admissions
Gavin Newsom is sounding like John Calhoun. Ash Kalra channels the wild fringes of Critical Race Theory. All because SCOTUS enforced the 14th Amendment. Local GOP chair Shane Patrick Connolly unpacks why the Left is so insistent on discriminating against Asian Americans in college admissions. An Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
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Opinion: Keeping BART ahead of the game means pursuing driver-less technology
In a recent talk at Walnut Creek, Marc Joffe of the Cato Institute argues that since BART will only attract customers through frequent service—and rides are currently often canceled because hiring operators comes at a high price—we should prioritize developing the tech to make existing tracks driver-less. This, says Joffe, makes more sense than extension projects, which may not attract riders.
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Tips for identifying, managing bullies
In a CNN interview, a collection of experts identifies the behavior patterns of bullies; see how many categories you think Sandy Perry, president of the Affordable Housing Network of Santa Clara County, checked off during his trespass of the Santa Clara County Association Realtors (see article nearby).
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