First, we want to update you on our conversations with the office of Gov. Newsom about the budget revise.

The budget revise has caused stress and concern. This past week the NCC has worked directly with the Governor’s office to express our concerns and share our policy positions. We sat with the Governor’s Director of Finance. We discussed ways we can move past this budget issue – our policies were heard and many of them are now part of the new budget. We are working with the Governor’s office to ensure that the voice of our members, like you, are heard.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming: When the federal government is coming to help with a massive check you know the problem is serious. So yeah – housing affordability in California is a serious problem. This Bear Essentials features a few similar stories. All along the lines of: “We are in the middle of a crisis, but here is a potential solution.”

And now…

KERN COUNTY’S CARBON CAPTURE COMEBACK?

In 2018, the small town of Taft, California, faced an economic crisis as its once-thriving oil industry ground to a halt, leading to layoffs and plummeting community funding. For decades, the relentless bobbing of climate-cooking oil wells produced a gusher of revenues that flowed into local schools, salaries and all manner of community programs, including an eye-popping recreational athletic complex that was the pride of the town. As the dollars dried up, a fascinating bit of cosmic irony began to unfold. Could the answer to Kern County’s floundering fortunes be the very same oil wells under their feet, now fallow?

The plan, spearheaded by California Resources Corporation, involves converting depleted oil wells into carbon storage sites. Back from whence you came, carbon! The plan brings with it the promise of thousands of new jobs, replenished tax revenues and a cleaner, healthier future. Local leaders see the effort as a lifeline for the region’s beleaguered middle class. But lest we forget, this is California, the land where great ideas go to be picked apart for not being perfect. Critics argue that the strategy may not benefit the wider community, particularly disadvantaged areas that never prospered from the oil boom. With Kern County residents reeling and other economic development solutions in short supply, the local stakes are high. So, too, are the global stakes for a world enduring mounting climate catastrophes. Can Taft mount a comeback by reversing its carbon extractive legacy? Time will tell.

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🤫 Everything you should know

- California is considering changes to the 'housing first' approach to tackling homelessness and substance abuse among those living on the street with legislation that would require sobriety to access housing. The two bills would allow state funding to support sober housing, which is desperately needed to assist those living with addiction. Assemblymember Matt Haney authored one of the bills and said, “If people want to get off of drugs and away from drugs, we should give them that option […] They shouldn’t be forced to live next to people who are using drugs.” California’s housing-first approach to homelessness has ensured that many people get the help they need to get their life back on track, but has lacked a structure incentivizing people to get sober. These bills address the fact that homelessness is often coupled with drug abuse and will provide state funds to help people get sober and get housed. CalMatters

- An eye-popping 60 percent of Los Angeles voters have thought about leaving because of high housing costs with 35 percent saying they’ve given that “serious consideration.” Another interesting data point in this new poll from the Los Angeles Times is that renters are more likely than homeowners to consider leaving – likely because the dream of homeownership seems so far out of reach in SoCal. While many measures and bills have been considered, voted on and implemented, making housing affordability the cornerstone of a political campaign has simply never happened. This despite the fact that 61% of Angelinos believe that L.A. should substantially increase home building to address the lack of accessible and affordable housing. So, do you want to win a political campaign in California? Free tip: support solutions to address the housing affordability crisis and join the NCC in our fight. Los Angeles Times

- Proposition 1 passed just two months ago, and we anticipate that funding for mental health treatment will be available as soon as this summer, the Governor announced on Tuesday at a press conference held at San Mateo County’s Mental Health Center. To recap: In March, voters approved a $6.38 billion bond aimed at transforming the state’s mental health care system. This initiative will result in the construction of 11,150 new treatment beds, the creation of 26,700 outpatient treatment slots, the hiring and training of 65,000 health care professionals, and a mandate for counties to allocate more of their existing mental health funds to support chronically homeless individuals. The initiative also includes provisions for auditing and accountability reporting, big wins for the NCC’s advocacy unit that beat the drum for efficiency and accountability. Just months after the bond's approval, improvements to the state's long-deteriorating mental health infrastructure are coming into focus. After decades of inaction and worsening mental health outcomes, Prop 1 gives us something new: hope. The NCC will be tracking its roll-out to ensure that the opportunity isn’t squandered. ABC 7

🪣 Good news won’t last for long in the California waterscape

While positive affirmations week over week in Bear Essentials might help, they aren’t a long-term solution to California’s water crisis. This past wet season is not the norm, but as we forecast dry years in the calendar year, the good news is that L.A. County has captured 96 billion gallons of water over the past year. This will be a great tool to fight future droughts – now we need even more storage and similarly big solutions to contend with the inevitably dry years to come. KTLA

🚛 Let the Inland Empire grow

Population boom in the Inland Empire—always a spectacle! Less thrilling? The skyrocketing unaffordability. With the influx of new residents, local officials and regulators must step up and plan for more housing. Without it, this boom will fizzle out fast. Last year alone, Riverside and San Bernardino counties welcomed 22,000 new residents. This surge brings hefty investments and equally hefty hikes in median home prices. Time to get ahead of the curve, folks. SF GATE

🌠 All beauty, no chaos

Last week we tipped you off to a potential solar flare that could have caused significant harm – including by damaging our electric grid. Instead, the sky was pretty and no one was hurt. Take a look at some pictures of the view from the Bay Area. SF Gate

🏘️ What this court ruling could mean for CEQA & building housing:

Huntington Beach has become notorious in its efforts to stop housing from being built to meet the state’s Housing Law Element. Just this week, a court ruled in favor of the state, mandating that Huntington Beach comply and that “California’s Housing Law Element is not subservient to CEQA.” Could this set a precedent for future battles where local officials block housing that’s required by the state?