Zócalo Public Square

Housing never has been more valuable than it is in today’s California—the average Golden State home is worth nearly a half-million dollars, more than two-and-a-half times the national average. But what are the hidden costs of this over-the-top home equity to California, its economy, and the aspirations of longtime residents as well as newcomers? What kind of pressures do soaring housing costs place on Californians—from young families struggling to buy first homes and achieve financial security, to older working people who want to retire but fear whether they can afford to keep living here? How much of a factor are housing prices in the decisions of Californians to live farther from their jobs or depart the state entirely? These and other questions were discussed by California Senate President pro Tem Kevin de León, AARP housing policy expert Rodney Harrell, executive director of Housing California Lisa Hershey, and dean of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs Gary Segura during a Zócalo / AARP event, titl