California’s housing crisis is a half century in the making. After decades of underproduction, supply is far behind need and housing costs are soaring. As a result, millions of Californians must make hard decisions about paying for housing at the expense of food, health care, childcare, and transportation, directly impacting quality of life. This talk will explore the multifaceted challenges of California's housing crisis, highlighting its historical roots, current impacts, and future implications. It will underscore how high housing costs threaten the California dream and disproportionately affect marginalized communities. Through collaborative efforts and systemic changes, the state aims to build a future where housing is accessible, equitable, and resilient against the backdrop of evolving social and environmental challenges.
Mehgie (pronounced MEH-jee) Tabar (MURP, '14) is the principal consultant to the California State Senate Housing Committee, chaired by Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley). Before joining the committee, Tabar worked at the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) as the data and research manager and as a senior housing specialist, where she led, managed and implemented various public lands for affordable housing programs and authored the 2022 Statewide Housing Plan. Prior to working with the State of California, Tabar was at consulting firms in Denver and San Francisco, where she worked directly with communities, developers, and local, regional, and state governments on federally required housing needs studies, consolidated and strategic plans, policy and regulation compliance, and housing market studies. Tabar is an AICP-certified planner.
Lunch will be served at Tabar's presentation, "Shaping Tomorrow: Navigating the Complex Landscape of California Housing Policy."
