# Housing & Homelessness

Curated static issue packet for assistant retrieval.

## Links

- App issue page: [Housing & Homelessness](https://polit.pages.dev/app/?view=issues&issue=housing-homelessness)
- App idea map: [Housing & Homelessness ideas](https://polit.pages.dev/app/?view=ideas&issue=housing-homelessness)
- Machine-readable packet: [housing-homelessness.json](https://polit.pages.dev/llm/issues/housing-homelessness.json)
- Issue index: [all curated issues](/llm/issues/index.md)

## Use Rules

- This is a research prototype, not a voter guide, endorsement, or final assessment.
- Many rows are model-generated or unreviewed and should be treated as evidence-navigation aids.
- Missing or limited coverage means the dataset has not ingested, normalized, or balanced that surface yet; it is not evidence that a candidate lacks activity there.
- Use source URLs and record IDs when citing claims. Prefer the linked JSON/JSONL companion files for retrieval.

## Problem Model

California's housing costs and visible homelessness are treated as related but not identical problems: high rents and too few homes create pressure, while unsheltered homelessness also depends on shelter, treatment, service capacity, enforcement choices, and state-local execution.

### Analysis Questions

- Is the row diagnosing housing affordability, unsheltered homelessness, or both?
- Does the proposal create housing supply, prevent displacement, move people indoors, or audit spending?
- What capacity, funding, or local compliance has to exist for the proposal to work?

## Idea Groups

- **Supply, approvals, and construction capacity**: 2 approachs; 9 candidates
- **Homelessness response and renter prevention**: 4 approachs; 6 candidates
- **Public finance and affordability supports**: 4 approachs; 5 candidates
- **Insurance and climate-risk stability**: 1 approach; 2 candidates

## Source-Backed Approaches

### Fast-track housing supply

- Approach ID: `housing-homelessness--housing-supply-permits`
- Summary: Builds more homes by speeding approvals, changing zoning, lowering fees, or reducing construction barriers.
- Problem: Housing is too expensive partly because California does not approve or build enough homes where demand is high.
- Mechanism: Speed approvals, change zoning, lower fees, or remove construction barriers so more homes can be built.
- Candidate stance rows:
  - Antonio Villaraigosa: Supports this approach (`support`); 4 source rows; row mix: 3 support rows, 1 mixed / conditional row; confidence `0.82`
  - Chad Bianco: Supports this approach (`support`); 5 source rows; confidence `0.86`
  - Eric Swalwell: Supports this approach (`support`); 1 source row; confidence `0.62`
  - Katie Porter: Supports this approach (`support`); 5 source rows; confidence `0.9`
  - Matt Mahan: Supports this approach (`support`); 7 source rows; row mix: 5 support rows, 2 mixed / conditional rows; confidence `0.9`
  - Steve Hilton: Supports this approach (`support`); 1 source row; confidence `0.7`
  - Tom Steyer: Supports this approach (`support`); 6 source rows; confidence `0.9`
  - Tony K. Thurmond: Supports this approach (`support`); 2 source rows; confidence `0.74`
  - Xavier Becerra: Supports this approach (`support`); 5 source rows; confidence `0.86`

### Homelessness shelter and services

- Approach ID: `housing-homelessness--renter-homelessness-relief`
- Summary: Moves people indoors through interim shelter, treatment, services, supportive or bridge housing, Housing First, or wraparound care.
- Problem: People are living outdoors or cycling through systems because shelter, treatment, bridge housing, and supportive services are not matching need.
- Mechanism: Expand interim shelter, treatment capacity, bridge or supportive housing, and service models that move people indoors with care attached.
- Candidate stance rows:
  - Katie Porter: Supports this approach (`support`); 1 source row; confidence `0.7`
  - Matt Mahan: Supports this approach (`support`); 5 source rows; row mix: 3 support rows, 2 unclear signal rows; confidence `0.86`
  - Tom Steyer: Supports this approach (`support`); 2 source rows; row mix: 1 support row, 1 unclear signal row; confidence `0.74`

### Homelessness spending accountability

- Approach ID: `housing-homelessness--homelessness-spending-accountability`
- Summary: Audits, challenges, or redirects homelessness spending when outcomes are poor or money is not producing visible reductions.
- Problem: California has spent heavily on homelessness while visible homelessness or unsheltered counts remain high.
- Mechanism: Demand measurable results, audit or redirect programs, and hold state or local agencies accountable for homelessness outcomes.
- Candidate stance rows:
  - Chad Bianco: Supports this approach (`support`); 2 source rows; confidence `0.74`
  - Matt Mahan: Mixed / conditional signal (`qualify`); 2 source rows; confidence `0.6`

### Homebuyer down-payment help

- Approach ID: `housing-homelessness--homebuyer-down-payment-help`
- Summary: Provides down-payment grants or direct assistance for would-be homeowners.
- Problem: Would-be homeowners may have enough income for payments but cannot clear the upfront down-payment barrier.
- Mechanism: Provide grants or direct assistance to help first-time or targeted buyers enter homeownership.
- Candidate stance rows:
  - Antonio Villaraigosa: Supports this approach (`support`); 1 source row; confidence `0.7`
  - Tony K. Thurmond: Supports this approach (`support`); 2 source rows; confidence `0.74`

### Household relief and affordability

- Approach ID: `housing-homelessness--household-relief`
- Summary: Directly lowers household costs through relief, credits, rebates, or price controls.
- Problem: Households face costs that are rising faster than their ability to absorb them.
- Mechanism: Use direct relief, credits, rebates, or price controls to lower the bill people see.
- Candidate stance rows:
  - Katie Porter: Supports this approach (`support`); 1 source row; confidence `0.7`
  - Tom Steyer: Supports this approach (`support`); 2 source rows; row mix: 1 support row, 1 mixed / conditional row; confidence `0.66`

### Public or affordable housing finance

- Approach ID: `housing-homelessness--public-affordable-housing`
- Summary: Uses public land, state finance, subsidies, or affordable housing programs.
- Problem: Market-rate construction alone may not produce homes affordable to lower-income households.
- Mechanism: Use public land, subsidies, bonds, or state finance to create or preserve affordable homes.
- Candidate stance rows:
  - Tom Steyer: Supports this approach (`support`); 2 source rows; confidence `0.74`
  - Xavier Becerra: Supports this approach (`support`); 1 source row; confidence `0.7`

### Housing tax and local funding

- Approach ID: `housing-homelessness--housing-tax-local-funds`
- Summary: Redirects tax-loophole revenue or other dedicated funds to local housing production capacity.
- Problem: Local governments may lack dedicated staff or funding to turn housing policy changes into approved projects.
- Mechanism: Redirect tax-loophole revenue or dedicated state funds to city and county permitting, planning, and housing-production capacity.
- Candidate stance rows:
  - Tom Steyer: Supports this approach (`support`); 2 source rows; confidence `0.74`

### Insurance market stability

- Approach ID: `housing-homelessness--insurance-market-stability`
- Summary: Addresses homeowners-insurance availability, risk pricing, climate risk, or insurer return conditions.
- Problem: Homeowners and buyers can lose affordability or financing access when insurance is unavailable or premiums spike.
- Mechanism: Stabilize the insurance market through risk mitigation, pricing rules, insurer return conditions, or climate-risk policy.
- Candidate stance rows:
  - Chad Bianco: Mixed / conditional signal (`qualify`); 1 source row; confidence `0.6`
  - Katie Porter: Supports this approach (`support`); 1 source row; confidence `0.7`

### Lower construction input costs

- Approach ID: `housing-homelessness--construction-cost-drivers`
- Summary: Reduces labor, materials, insurance, financing, transportation, or other construction cost inputs.
- Problem: Even approved housing can be too expensive to build because input costs make projects infeasible.
- Mechanism: Lower or offset labor, materials, insurance, financing, transportation, or other construction costs.
- Candidate stance rows:
  - Chad Bianco: Mixed / conditional signal (`qualify`); 1 source row; confidence `0.56`
  - Xavier Becerra: Supports this approach (`support`); 1 source row; confidence `0.7`

### Renter protection and homelessness prevention

- Approach ID: `housing-homelessness--renter-protection-prevention`
- Summary: Prevents displacement or homelessness through renter protections, cash assistance, housing-cost prevention, or anti-exploitation policy.
- Problem: High housing costs and unstable rental situations push people toward homelessness before crisis services can respond.
- Mechanism: Protect renters, simplify prevention programs, and use targeted assistance to keep people housed before they become homeless.
- Candidate stance rows:
  - Antonio Villaraigosa: Supports this approach (`support`); 1 source row; confidence `0.7`
  - Katie Porter: Mixed / conditional signal (`qualify`); 1 source row; confidence `0.56`

### Encampment enforcement and indoor placement

- Approach ID: `housing-homelessness--encampment-enforcement-indoor-placement`
- Summary: Uses encampment rules, law enforcement, or required indoor placement when shelter space exists.
- Problem: Unsheltered encampments persist even where government says shelter or interim placement is available.
- Mechanism: Require or enforce movement indoors when capacity exists, including encampment clearance or local compliance rules.
- Candidate stance rows:
  - Steve Hilton: Supports this approach (`support`); 1 source row; confidence `0.7`

## Assistant Guidance

- Use this page for curated issue/approach structure only.
- Stance labels refer to the selected approach statement, not the candidate's whole position on the issue.
- `qualify` means a mixed or conditional source signal; it is not a final verdict that the candidate is generally qualified.
- For candidate-specific detail, follow candidate packets and evidence JSONL links.
- If a natural-language question does not match this issue, do not stretch this issue page to answer it.
