THE SOLUTION TO HOMELESSNESS IS HOMES:

A major Northern California city took a big step last week toward addressing the devastating housing crisis that's exacerbating inequality, worsening climate change and hurting families throughout our state. In a move that's both practical and visionary, it plans to allows people to build up to four units of housing on any piece of land now slated for one house.

The majority of people speaking in public comment and writing letters about the plan were not cranky NIMBYs, but those who supported building more affordable housing near their own homes. The city council approved it unanimously. The mayor rejoiced, saying the move would foster equity and inclusion.

Was this progressive city San Francisco? Of course not. When it comes to housing, San Francisco isn't progressive at all.

This truly progressive city was Sacramento -- a city that's preparing for an influx of residents and businesses by, get this, building more housing. So people of all socioeconomic backgrounds can live there. Shocking, I know.

"Sacramento is a rapidly changing city, and we're shedding our old image as just a government town," Mayor Darrell Steinberg told me. "We are diversifying our economy where we're attracting a lot of tech and life sciences and innovation and broadening our economic base.

"But it is not enough to just grow a modern economy," he continued. "That growth needs to be coupled with an absolute commitment to inclusion. People should not only have the ability to play in Land Park, which is the crown jewel in our regional parks system, they should have the opportunity to live there as well."

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