California Candidate Advocates for Single-Family Homes to Address Housing Crisis

Gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton has proposed building single-family homes as a solution to California's housing shortage, advocating for outward expansion rather than upward construction. Hilton contends that the state's current approach, exemplified by legislation like Senate Bill 79, which permits high-rise apartment buildings near transit hubs and overrides local zoning, is misguided.

Realtor.com estimates a national housing deficit of 4 million units, a crisis California is attempting to address. However, Hilton asserts that high-rise apartments are not the long-term housing solution desired by Californians, who he claims prefer single-family homes with space, yards, and privacy. He suggests that policymakers have historically disdained single-family homes, viewing them negatively.

Instead of promoting high-rises, Hilton argues that California policymakers should encourage the development of single-family homes. This, he posits, requires enhancing water storage and energy production capacity, as well as building more roads and public transportation routes that people will actually use, referencing issues with high-speed rail projects.

Hilton believes California possesses the necessary resources to implement such a strategy, but lacks the political will to overcome prevailing "green" orthodoxies. He states the state has ample space, but its aging infrastructure needs modernization to support growth, which adding more urban high-rises will not achieve. He envisions a 21st-century upgrade of essential systems, capable of coexisting with farms, forests, and parklands.

The candidate suggests reinventing suburban living with modern amenities like electric vehicle charging stations and high-speed internet, enabling community connections despite increased distances. Hilton's vision prioritizes building "outward, not upward."