The Frontier

Tom Steyer says California's construction costs are high due to labor, materials, and financing. He argues modular housing can cut costs by 20% and that a new $22 billion state fund would eliminate the 'unfunded mandate' driving local opposition.

A 2022 RAND Corporation study shows construction speed is the main driver of higher costs in California. A multifamily project takes 49 months in California versus 27 months in Texas and 37 in Colorado.

Katie Porter argues the state should consolidate its fractured affordable housing funding into a single pot to cut delays. She also believes caps on local fees and a uniform permit process are necessary to lower costs.

Javier Becerra supports a $10 billion housing bond for affordable housing while arguing for prevailing wage in large projects. An analysis he cites found prevailing wage standards add about $94,000 to the cost of each housing unit.

Matt Mahan says San Jose cut local housing fees by two-thirds, which led to 2,000 new homes starting construction last year. He argues the state should cap all local fees to prevent projects from becoming unfeasible.

Katie Porter says the most effective homelessness prevention is direct cash assistance. Research shows the median cost to prevent an eviction or foreclosure with cash is $6,000 per family.

Antonio Villaraigosa argues the state spent $24 billion on homelessness from 2018 to 2023 while the unsheltered population grew. He claims only rental assistance and Homekey interim housing showed measurable success.

Matt Mahan says San Jose's homelessness prevention program, which pairs one-time rental aid with case management, has kept over 92% of assisted households housed without ongoing subsidy.

Tom Steyer promotes emergency interim housing as a cheaper, more humane alternative to shelters. He claims it costs between $750,000 and $1 million per unit to build permanent supportive housing.

Antonio Villaraigosa says Proposition 13 flipped California's property tax burden from 60% commercial to 60% residential, which now incentivizes cities to build retail over housing.

Javier Becerra and Matt Mahan disagree on using lawsuits to enforce state housing laws. Becerra defends litigation as a necessary tool, while Mahan argues it's ineffective and prefers 'builder's remedy' overrides.

Katie Porter criticizes the 'mansion tax' (Measure ULA), citing a UCLA study showing an 84% drop in Los Angeles construction activity following its implementation.

One in eight Americans is currently taking a GLP-1 drug according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll.

GLP-1 drugs were originally developed for diabetes. They stimulate insulin secretion only when blood sugar is high, reducing the risk of dangerous lows.

These drugs cause weight loss by suppressing appetite, acting on GLP-1 receptors in the brain. Researchers believe they signal a toxin-like state, similar to food poisoning, to curb hunger.

The weight loss effect from drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound is significant, averaging around 15% body weight. This rivals the efficacy of more effective bariatric surgeries.

Common obesity arises from genetic variants acting in the brain. This neurobiology, combined with a hyper-palatable food environment, makes weight management a physiological struggle, not simply a failure of willpower.

Julia Blues reports that effective GLP-1 users describe a silencing of 'food noise,' granting them a sense of willpower they never had. Variation in response exists, with some people being highly sensitive to the drugs and others not.

The most common side effects are gastrointestinal: nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Lawsuits cite other severe potential problems like stomach paralysis and ocular nerve damage.

Weight regain is typical when people stop taking GLP-1s because the appetite-suppressing effect on the brain ceases. The drugs treat a chronic condition and require ongoing use, similar to statins or insulin.

Julia Blues notes pediatricians are prescribing GLP-1s to children without screening for eating disorders. She fears the drugs could exacerbate disordered eating in a culture with punishing body image standards.

GLP-1 drugs show significant, weight-independent health benefits. In trials, they produced a 20% reduction in cardiovascular event risk, comparable to statins' 29% reduction. They also show benefits for liver and kidney disease.

Researchers theorize three mechanisms: direct weight loss, fine-tuning of chronic inflammation without immunosuppression, and direct organ-healing signals to the liver and kidneys.

A New York Times poll found 63% of GLP-1 users would stay on the drug even without weight loss benefits, citing unexpected improvements in conditions like post-concussion syndrome.

Ezra Klein reports anhedonia and depression on a low dose of tirzepatide. Anecdotal reports suggest the drugs dial down addictive behaviors, but long-term addiction treatment data is mixed and incomplete.

Novel compounds like retatrutide, which targets three hormone receptors, are circulating illicitly. Julia Blues warns these lack long-term safety data, despite social media hype about faster weight loss and increased metabolism.

Julia Blues argues the GLP-1 era collides with a wellness-obsessed algorithmic age, enabled by telemedicine and direct-to-consumer marketing, creating a 'wild west' for untested optimization.

Blues points to historical parallels like the post-WWI weight loss drug derived from explosives, which caused severe side effects. She advocates for a conservative, regulatory approach to protect public health.

Julia Blues advocates for systemic food environment changes, like restricting junk food marketing to kids and making healthy food accessible, to prevent diet-caused diseases rather than relying solely on pharmaceutical interventions.