California Candidates Differ on Housing Growth and Local Control

Candidates in Aliso Viejo, Fountain Valley, Riverside, Murrieta and Moreno Valley proposed varied ways to meet state housing requirements, including condos and townhomes, transit-oriented or mixed-use development, redevelopment of underused commercial sites, faster permitting and infrastructure planning; they differed on growth and local control, with one Murrieta candidate proposing a state constitutional amendment. They also discussed budget restraint, economic development, revenue, reserves and long-term liabilities, alongside public safety, infrastructure and quality of life. In the Orange County supervisor race, candidates proposed expanding affordable and supportive housing through county land, vouchers and partnerships, including a change said to make nearly 1,000 additional vouchers available, and called for accountability in homelessness programs and public safety. School board candidates across several Inland Empire districts described the board’s role as setting policy and priorities, overseeing budgets and student outcomes, and holding superintendents accountable, while emphasizing transparency, community input and curriculum oversight. On classroom AI, responses generally supported using it to aid learning, accessibility and workforce preparation with safeguards for privacy and academic integrity; one candidate said the district needed a local AI policy. Congressional candidate Samantha Mota cited cost of living as the district’s top concern and proposed measures involving housing, health care, utilities, food assistance and wages, including expanded public housing, while Temecula candidate Yuan Hawkes said housing growth should be matched with infrastructure and services and favor development in suitable or underused areas while protecting neighborhoods and open space.