Reason's Christian Britschgi analyzes a recent study out of Northwestern University, which found that the City's rent control laws have actually destabilized renters' situations. SF tenants are more frequently displaced by landlords now, as vacancy decontrol allows landlords to align new tenants' rents with market rates. Below, another case study where Woke housing policy fails to empower housing providers and renters alike.

Ellenberg and Cortese's basic income pilot program for unhoused high school students will launch next summer. Many advocates against homelessness are cheering, but Third Way's Rachel Minogue says to hold our horses—and actually look at the numbers. Considering the wads of cash needed to sustain these programs to make an impact (SCC's shelling out $3 mil), other important targeted county interventions are cut.

For the LA Times, UC Davis land use law professor Chris Elmendorf analyzes Newsom's all-bark-and-no-bite approach to reforming California's Environmental Quality Act. Rather than begging judges to move faster, Newsom should look to Washington (which no longer does environmental review for urban housing projects) and Oregon (which uses urban growth boundaries in lieu of onerous approval processes). Big surprise: These states' housing projects aren't as “paralyzed” by NIMBYism and constrained supply.

Opp Now exclusively spoke with seven urban policy profs, analysts, and housing providers to get to the bottom of proposed constitutional amendment ACA 10: which guarantees residents an equitably distributed “right to housing.” While some think ACA 10 is a step forward in combating neighborhood NIMBYism, others question if the amendment—vague, impractical, and tipped in local courts' hands—would truly benefit the Bay Area's housing market. Their perspectives (and alternative plans of action) below.

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.

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.

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.

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.