A reportissued earlier this year from California’s Office of Legislative Analyst “California’s High Housing Costs: Causes and Consequences,” cites the following statistics:“Today, an average California home costs $440,000, about two–and–a–half times the average national home price ($180,000). Also, California’s average monthly rent is about $1,240, 50 percent higher than the rest of the country ($840 per month).”

It’s actually much worse than that. Anyone living on California’s urbanized coast, from Marin Countyto San Diego, has to laugh at the idea that a modest homecan be found for anywhere close to $440,000, or a decent rental can be found for anywhere close to $1,240 per month. In most urban areas within 50 miles of the California coast, finding a home or a monthly rental at twice those amountswould be considered a bargain.

These prohibitive costs for housing are mirrored in California’s unusually highcosts for electricity, gasoline, water, and, of course, California’s unusually high taxes. The cost of living in California… Read More