Emeryville’s Housing “Victory”: Why Mayor Mourra’s Celebration of SB 79 Should Worry Taxpayers
Emeryville Mayor joins Newsom’s victory lap while taxpayers brace for the real cost
Governor Gavin Newsom’s office announced this week that Emeryville Mayor David Mourra celebrated the signing of SB 79, hailing it as “a profound turning point in California’s housing crisis.” But before we pop the champagne, let’s examine what this “turning point” really means for hardworking Californians.
The Same Old Sacramento Playbook
Once again, California’s political elite are patting themselves on the back for passing legislation that promises to solve a crisis they helped create. For decades, Sacramento has layered regulation upon regulation, making it nearly impossible for developers to build affordable housing. Now they want credit for slightly loosening the regulatory stranglehold they imposed in the first place.
SB 79 represents the classic government approach: create a problem through excessive regulation, then claim to be the hero by passing more laws to “fix” it. It’s like an arsonist taking credit for calling the fire department.
Who Really Pays the Price?
While Mayor Mourra celebrates this “profound turning point,” taxpayers should be asking the hard questions. How much will this cost? Who’s footing the bill? And why should we trust the same politicians who created California’s housing affordability crisis to solve it?
The truth is, California’s housing crisis isn’t the result of too little government intervention—it’s the result of too much. Environmental reviews that take years, permit processes that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and zoning laws that prevent common-sense development have priced out middle-class families across the state.
Market Solutions vs. Government Bandaids
Real housing affordability comes from unleashing the free market, not from more government programs. When bureaucrats get out of the way and let builders build, supply increases and prices naturally come down. It’s basic economics that somehow escapes Sacramento’s understanding.
Instead of celebrating another government “solution,” we should be demanding:
- Streamlined permitting processes
- Reduced regulatory burdens on builders
- Elimination of unnecessary environmental reviews for housing projects
- Local control over zoning decisions
The Emeryville Example
Emeryville’s enthusiasm for SB 79 is particularly telling. This small city has become a poster child for California’s progressive housing policies, with over 2,300 rental units in the pipeline. But rental units don’t build wealth for families—homeownership does. When government policies favor rental development over homeownership, they’re essentially creating a permanent renter class.
True housing policy should help families achieve the American Dream of homeownership, not trap them in a cycle of perpetual rent payments to corporate landlords.
The Real Turning Point We Need
California needs a real turning point—one that involves less government interference, not more. We need policies that:
- Encourage private investment in housing
- Reduce the cost of construction through deregulation
- Promote homeownership over permanent rental dependency
- Respect property rights and local decision-making
Bottom Line
While politicians like Mayor Mourra celebrate SB 79 as a victory, California families continue to struggle with housing costs that remain among the highest in the nation. Until Sacramento admits that government overregulation caused this crisis, and commits to real free-market solutions, we’ll continue to see more press conferences and fewer affordable homes.
The housing crisis won’t be solved by more government programs—it will be solved when government gets out of the way and lets the market work. That would be a truly profound turning point worth celebrating.
