Emotions, Tears At Housing Roundtable With Gov. Newsom, Mayor Liccardo
SAN JOSE (KPIX) - Governor Gavin Newsom appeared to be emotionally touched Tuesday during a housing roundtable discussion in San Jose.
Governor Newsom was meeting with Mayor Sam Liccardo of San Jose and five middle-class workers who are struggling with the high cost of living.
One of the participants, Nuemi Guzman broke down in tears describing how she and her husband see little of their 3 children during the week because they commute from Los Banos to Silicon Valley for jobs.
The Guzman family is considering ditching California.
"I bought a house, how can I complain? But I don't see my children. Can't take them to basketball or soccer. I'm sorry I get so emotional. So I guess it's Arizona here we come," Guzman said.
That seemed to connect with Newsom who also has small children and was seen wiping away tears.
"I recognize the stress, I recognize the pain. I can't guarantee we're going to solve this overnight. But there is a different energy, a different resolve with money attached to that that we haven't seen in this state in quite some time," Newsom said.
Newsom highlighted his recent state budget announcements pledging $1.75 billion to build more housing in California and tying housing to state transportation dollars to force more cities to build affordable housing.
Newsom also took two executive actions Tuesday, to inventory unused state land in California that could be used for housing and to streamline permitting and building.
"We have a two year horizon before we want to see groundbreakings, and three years before units come up," Newsom said.
Another panelist was a business owner who can't find enough workers. Jenneke Vries who owns a small pizza stand in downtown San Jose.
"We've had to shift our business model on busy days, we don't do catering anymore. It's becoming tense," said Vries.
For a second straight year, Zillow has identified San Jose as the hottest housing market in the country with strong job growth pushing prices and demand for homes to levels most workers can't afford.
