California Has All the Answers and All the Problems | Senator Blakespear

Guest:Senator Catherine BlakespearGuest Bio: Catherine Blakespear represents the 38th District, covering northern San Diego County and southern Orange County. A lawyer and former journalist for the Los Angeles Times and Associated Press, she transitioned into public service as the Traffic Commissioner for Encinitas before serving eight years in local government, including six years as Mayor. Now in the State Senate, Blakespear chairs the Environmental Quality Committee and the Transportation Subcommittee on LOSSAN Rail Corridor Resiliency. Her legislative focus includes increasing housing affordability, preventing gun violence, and finding structural solutions to California’s homelessness humanitarian crisis.Show SummaryIt costs an average of $700,000 and takes seven years to build a single unit of housing in California—a reality Senator Catherine Blakespear calls "anathema to my sense of humanity". In this episode of State of Gold, Jon Slavet and Senator Blakespear tackle the "multi-billion dollar question" of why California’s housing and homelessness crises continue to spiral despite hundreds of new laws.Blakespear shares her unique perspective as a former Mayor who once fought against high-density mandates, explaining why she now believes the state must balance local control with the urgent need for a million new homes. The conversation takes a sharp turn into the "shocking" reality of the state's homelessness response. Blakespear reveals her firsthand findings after touring Care Court, describing it as a "resource-intensive group therapy" that fails to scale because it remains entirely voluntary.In a rare moment of candor from the Democratic side, Blakespear argues it is time to move the "pendulum" back toward involuntary commitment for the gravely disabled, stating that leaving people to die in the elements is a violation of human rights. From the complexities of the insurance market and the Cap-and-Invest program to a debate over Gavin Newsom’s leadership, this episode is an essential look at the policies required to reclaim the "Golden State."Chapters00:00 – The Waiting Room: California’s Housing Math Problem01:12 – From Mayor to Senator: The Battle Over High-Density Housing02:43 – Public vs. Private: Solving the Million-Home Shortage03:41 – Local Control: Why Some Cities Fight State Mandates06:19 – Developers, Density, and the Insurance Crisis08:28 – The "Stab in the Heart": Addressing the Humanity of Homelessness09:06 – Functional Zero: Why "Permanent Housing Only" is Failing11:24 – The Case for Involuntary Commitment: Moving the Pendulum13:53 – Exposing Care Court: Why Voluntary Care Isn't Scaling16:48 – Cap and Invest: Climate Goals vs. Affordability19:43 – The Billionaire Tax and the Innovation Economy21:49 – Assessing Gavin Newsom: Practicality vs. PolicyConnect with Catherine BlakespearFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/senatorblakespear/about/Twitter: https://x.com/CblakespearInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/catherineblakespearEnjoyed the episode? Subscribe to our podcast, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and join the conversation on Instagram and LinkedIn with the hashtag #stateofgoldpodcastConnect with State of GoldX: https://x.com/realjonslavetLinked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stateofgold/aboutInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofgoldpodcast/?hl=enWebsite: www.stateofgold.com