California May Never Have Spectacular Growth Again w/Bill Fulton

In this episode, I sit down with Bill Fulton - urban planner, professor, former Ventura mayor, and author of one of my favorite books (The Reluctant Metropolis) - for a wide-ranging conversation on how California stopped growing and what it will take for the state to build again. We explore how the state’s postwar growth machine broke down, how laws like Prop 13 and CEQA warped local incentives, and why so many cities now chase warehouses and retail instead of housing.This is also a conversation about California’s evolving identity from the death of the suburban dream to the rise of a more urban, infill-driven future. We talk about generational divides in housing politics, lessons from Houston’s deregulated model, and why building more homes isn’t just about entitlement reform—it’s about labor, capacity, and culture. If you care about how California can remain a place where regular people can live and thrive, this episode is for you!Make sure to subscribe at californiafuturesociety.org, youtube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Chapters:00:00 — Intro02:55 — Why Did Growth Stop?08:08 — Sales Tax Dynamics and Local Government Funding12:56 — Accepting SoCal's Urban Identity16:03 — Intergenerational Perspectives on Growth and Development17:47 — State vs. Local Control22:49 — The Role of Unions26:25 — CEQA30:03 — Land-Use Lessons from Houston33:28 — SoCal After Sprawl37:23 — Demographics and the Changing Landscape of California42:09 — Hope for California’s Housing CrisisKeywords:California housing policy, urban planning, Prop 13, CEQA, NIMBY vs. YIMBY, sales tax incentives, local control, state intervention, entitlement reform, zoning, infill development, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), post-sprawl urbanism, Inland Empire, Houston vs. LA, light rail, construction labor shortage, environmental law, unions and housing, demographic shifts, affordability crisis, generational change