Key facts
- Governor Newsom's office defends his housing completion calculation, citing a 59% increase.
- Improved data collection in 2024 included responses from 69 additional local governments.
- Newsom pledged to build 3.5 million homes during his 2018 gubernatorial campaign.
- Homebuilding has increased during Newsom's tenure compared to his predecessor, Jerry Brown.
- Annual housing production has largely remained between 100,000 and 120,000 units.
Governor Gavin Newsom's administration has claimed a significant increase in housing completions, citing a 59% rise during his tenure. However, this claim is being questioned due to improved data collection methods that in 2024 included 69 more local governments, such as San Diego, which were previously missing. Critics suggest the reported surge is more a reflection of better reporting than actual increased construction.
Newsom's housing production numbers are particularly significant given his 2018 gubernatorial campaign promise to build 3.5 million homes, or 500,000 annually, to address the state's housing shortage. At the time, experts considered this target unrealistic, as it far exceeded California's production even during its mid-20th-century boom. While construction has fallen short of the pledge, Newsom has described it as a "stretch goal."
Multiple sources indicate that homebuilding in California has indeed increased compared to the tenure of his predecessor, Jerry Brown, when construction hit historic lows following the Great Recession. However, the growth has plateaued, with annual production largely hovering between 100,000 and 120,000 units. Experts note that measuring housing production is inherently complex, with different sources using varying metrics like permits issued versus homes completed, each with its own quality control issues.