California is at an inflection point.
Soaring housing costs, crumbling infrastructure and mounting climate targets have collided with one of the most complex regulatory environments in the nation. As demand grows for new homes, clean energy, broadband and modern transportation, so does public frustration with the state’s inability to build quickly and affordably.
In a candid conversation hosted at Lucas Public Affairs, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) joined Jason Elliott, President of Versus Solutions and former senior advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom, to address what it will take for California to break through its self-imposed gridlock. The discussion was moderated by John Myers, Senior Vice President at the California Chamber of Commerce.
Their message was clear: If California wants to preserve affordability and meet its climate and economic goals, it must reform how it builds and do it fast.
“It’s really f***ing hard to build right now.”
— Assemblymember Buffy Wicks
Chair of the Assembly Appropriations Committee and Member of Housing and Community Development Committee
That blunt truth was shared by the panelists as they tackled the following questions: How do we build 2.5 million homes? How do we deliver the 21st century infrastructure California needs, including transmission lines, data centers, clean energy and broadband, to remain a global leader?
“It’s shocking we’re able to build anything in California… of any kind,” Wicks said.
As Chair of the Select Committee on Permitting Reform, Wicks has been at the forefront of systemic reform. She authored the Select Committee’s Final Report, and helped facilitate the 2025 Fast Track Housing Package, a bold, bipartisan initiative aimed at slashing delays and accelerating housing production.
“We can’t meet our progressive goals, like caring for our most vulnerable, without making it easier to build,” she emphasized.
That includes:
- Market-rate and affordable housing
- Renewable energy infrastructure
- Broadband and digital connectivity
- Modern roads, rail and water systems
Changing the Narrative
Elliott pointed to another roadblock: public perception.
“There’s a deeply held narrative that California can’t get out of its own way,” he said.
Despite real progress—dozens of housing streamlining bills passed in recent years, green energy targets exceeded, thousands of homes built—the dominant story remains one of dysfunction.
“People don’t believe we’re making progress, even though we are. And if they don’t believe it, the narrative becomes self-fulfilling,” Elliott said. “We not only need to change the laws, we need to change the story.”
That skepticism is deterring private investment. For developers, clean energy companies and infrastructure builders, certainty and speed matters.
“We need to generate more wins,” Elliott added. “And we need to create certainty in the market, so companies look at California and say, that’s a great opportunity.”
CEQA Reform: From Sacred Cow to Must-Do
Both panelists agreed: reforming CEQA is essential.
“The fact that I can say, ‘We absolutely must have meaningful CEQA reform—and not be tarred and feathered—is a big deal,” said Wicks. “The crisis has metastasized to a level that requires real action, even on previously untouchable issues.”
Originally intended to protect the environment, the California Environmental Quality Act has increasingly been used to delay or block infill housing, public transit and clean energy projects. Elliott cited a recent example: a 400-unit affordable housing project near a BART station in San Francisco, located on a former parking lot, stalled under CEQA by groups citing “environmental” concerns.
“Don’t pretend it’s about the environment,” Elliott said. “It’s about being anti-housing.”
Wicks’ Fast Track Housing Package, including AB 609 and SB 607, seeks to exempt infill housing from duplicative CEQA reviews when planning and zoning have already been completed.
“We’ve already done the work. We’ve planned. We’ve zoned. Now, we need to build,” Wicks said.
Affordability and Budget Reality
Another theme emerged in the conversation: California cannot tax its way out of the housing crisis.
With state budget shortfalls, the path forward depends on market-driven solutions and ensuring that housing projects pencil out.
“If we want housing for nurses and teachers, we need to make market-rate projects feasible again,” Wicks said. “The math has to work.”
Unpredictable delays and legal hurdles drive up costs, deter private investment and make building in California a financial risk.
Metrics, Confidence and a Culture Shift
So, what does success look like?
“It’s about closing the gap between proposals and completions,” Elliott said. “Right now, if you start a housing project in California, there’s no guarantee it gets built. That’s the problem.”
He called for tools like permitting shot clocks, streamlined applications and clear deadlines to boost confidence and reduce risk.
Wicks echoed the point: “If we want the investment community to bet on California, we need to show we can execute. Changing policy is one thing. Changing perception is just as critical.”
Final Thoughts: The Time Is Now
California isn’t alone in its struggles, but few other places have the resources, innovation and values to lead.
“This is hard work,” Wicks acknowledged. “But we’re having the conversation we need to have. And we’re not backing down.”
