Priorities
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“We believe California is worth fighting for. We hope you do too.”
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Our goal is to win back trust in politics by solving hard problems. That’s why we are focused on our state’s greatest challenges: like housing affordability, improving schools and student outcomes, and more.
We think California matters – not just for itself, but for the nation and the world. Our successes will show that a big, diverse, dynamic state can deliver outcomes for its residents – and can help forge a healthy civic discourse well beyond our borders.
Solving the Housing Crisis
The average home in California costs more than $800K – twice the national average. We are home to a third of the nation’s unhoused residents, and half of its unsheltered population. Housing costs make everything more expensive, drive the state’s high poverty rates, and push residents and businesses to relocate to places with lower living costs. Today, the state faces a housing shortage of over 3 million homes. California would need to build 180,000 homes a year just to break even, a number the state hasn’t hit since 2005.
How do we fix the problem?
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The 21st Century Alliance is focused on solving all major challenges, starting with those that have been considered too hard to solve for too long.
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Streamline permitting processes to make housing faster and cheaper to build. A permit to build a new home or apartment in San Francisco can take over two years. We are helping change that by supporting smart policy to streamline permitting and reduce construction fees.
Cut Red Tape
Improving Public Schools and Student Outcomes
California’s students rank 40th in math and 37th in reading nationally, and this trend started before the pandemic—and has only become worse. The state has increased funding per student but a lack of transparency has allowed for wasteful spending that doesn’t help students.
How do we fix the problem?
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Pay Teachers More
Housing in California costs more than twice the national average. A single family home cost over $800,000 on average. It’s a 40-year old crisis that has seen little progress in solving. The worst part is that it’s largely a self-inflicted wound driven by failed politics and selfish special interests. Today, the state faces a housing shortage of over 3 million homes. California would need to build 180,000 homes a year just to break even, a number the state hasn’t hit since 2005.
How do we fix the problem?
Smarter, More Efficient Government
California has a $300 billion budget, yet many public services remain inefficient, outdated, and unresponsive. Taxpayers are paying more than ever, but critical systems—like unemployment benefits, infrastructure, and housing approvals—are plagued by bureaucratic failures, waste, and mismanagement.
The state’s outdated government systems and excessive red tape make it difficult to deliver results. Agencies lack transparency and accountability, leading to inefficiencies that cost taxpayers billions. Meanwhile, businesses and residents suffer from excessive regulations that slow down housing, job creation, and infrastructure improvements.
How do we fix the problem?
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Modernize government technology
Housing in California costs more than twice the national average. A single family home cost over $800,000 on average. It’s a 40-year old crisis that has seen little progress in solving. The worst part is that it’s largely a self-inflicted wound driven by failed politics and selfish special interests. Today, the state faces a housing shortage of over 3 million homes. California would need to build 180,000 homes a year just to break even, a number the state hasn’t hit since 2005.
How do we fix the problem?