California is in a housing crisis, and many residents are understandably frustrated. Government officials have decided to spend $600,000 per unit to create luxurious high-rise apartments for the homeless in Los Angeles with taxpayer money. What about the rest of us? Where is our housing? We work daily to pay our bills and survive, yet news stories like this leave us angry and upset.

Politicians ask for more taxpayer money; in Los Angeles, the City Council wants another tax increase for homeless housing. This isn’t just a Los Angeles problem. It’s a statewide problem. 

California’s inability to build affordable housing for the average person remains a significant issue. The state seems more focused on expensive projects for the homeless than on addressing the broader housing needs of its residents.

The Weingart Tower, part of an initiative funded by Los Angeles Proposition HHH, is a prime example. Proposition HHH, approved by voters in 2016, aimed to reduce homelessness by building new housing units. However, the high costs associated with these projects have raised eyebrows. 

The Weingart Tower includes: “a gym, an art room, a soundproofed music room, a computer room/library, a TV lounge, six common balconies, four of them with dog runs, and a ground floor cafe with a two-story glass wall facing a courtyard.”Governor Gavin Newsom and other state leaders emphasize the importance of addressing homelessness. Still, the exorbitant costs of these housing units make many question whether the funds could be better spent. Why can’t more cost-effective solutions be found to provide housing for the homeless and the broader population struggling with high rents and property prices?