Cheap housing in California: the plan that could change the real estate market

Studies show that home values and rents in California are among the most expensive in the United States, significantly higher than the national average. The Golden State’s housing crisis has been going on for decades, although steps are at least now being taken to combat it.

California scales up Excess Sites Program

Governor Gavin Newsom has announced that California’s Department of General Services and Department of Housing and Community Development are expanding the Excess Sites Program, which aims to transform underutilized state land into affordable housing.

First established in 2019, the program has been relaunched with significant improvements that will improve the efficiency and speed with which state land is leased for affordable housing.

One of the main aspects of the scaled up program is the implementation of a revamped web portal, which makes it easier for developers to review available land and submit proposals. The new system allows the continuous evaluation of offers until a viable one is selected, speeding up the allocation and construction process.

California “doing everything possible” to provide affordable housing

“California is doing everything possible to ensure all residents have access to affordable housing as quickly as possible,” Newsom said in a statement, which also revealed there were now 23 new sites available for development, estimated to have the capacity for 2,000 homes.

Since 2019, progress has been made in creating a state plan that includes nearly 4,300 housing units across 32 projects in various stages of development.

They include a complex of 58 units in Sacramento combining housing with commercial spaces that inaugurated in April 2023, and which includes a job training center in collaboration with the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA).

Another successful example is the Guardian Village development in Fresno County, a 48-unit project built on the former Reedley Armory, represents. Meanwhile, in South Lake Tahoe, the Sugar Pine Village project will become the largest affordable housing development in the region’s history, with 68 units inaugurated at the end of 2024 and plans to expand to 248 units.

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