SacBee: Brown’s Development Plan Would Increase Affordable Housing

Year after year, more and more of California’s working families struggle with the rising cost of living. Major rent increases force moves that are farther and farther from places of employment, resulting in disrupted family life, health consequences and an increase in environmental pollution as vehicle commute times increase. Economists Chang-Tai Hsieh of the University of Chicago and Enrico Moretti of UC Berkeley warn that the lack of affordable housing in cities like San Francisco and San Jose costs the U.S. economy about $1.6 trillion a year in lost wages and productivity.