Should California Step In to Fight Against NIMBYism & Homelessness?

Thursday, February 29th

5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Alumni & Visitors Center

3701 Canyon Crest Drive

Riverside, CA 92521

Despite California’s wealth as one of the richest per capita states in the world, homelessness remains a significant issue. Efforts to address homelessness through public housing, work programs, and shelters have faced resistance from NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) actors, who oppose having such programs in their neighborhoods due to concerns about property values and safety. Local city councils often ignore laws combating homelessness to prioritize reelection, including the California Housing Accountability Act (CHAA), which limits local government’s ability to restrict new housing development. This has sparked debates about the state’s role in addressing homelessness and its impact on federalism. The debate centers on whether anti-NIMBY measures are worth the potential disruption of the balance between local and state powers, and if they will effectively reduce homelessness.
 

Judges:

• Ken Gutierrez: Former Planning Director, City of Riverside
• Neil Okazaki: Senior Deputy City Attorney, City of Corona
• Launa Wilson: CEO, Launa Wilson Consulting LLC

Debaters:

• Nadia Colón: Senator, UCR College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences
• Liam Burley: UCR Public Policy Student (Class of 2027)
• Naia Pizarro: Senator, UCR School of Public Policy
• Miriam Fadel: Founder, Re-Entry Without Any Yield (R'Way)

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You can access the stream recording here.

You can access the photos here.