California Housing Affordability Tracker (3rd Quarter 2025) [EconTax Blog]
A new Legislative Analyst’s Office affordability tracker shows that home-buying costs statewide have surged 74–78% since 2020, far outpacing wage growth. Construction costs and ownership costs remain structural obstacles to producing and maintaining affordable housing. The analysis highlights a growing gap that policy alone cannot fix without significant cost reforms.
Why it matters: When cost curves rise faster than wages, zoning changes aren’t enough — financial feasibility becomes the real barrier.
