Guest commentary: Bay Area is not meeting its affordable housing needs

In this coauthored article, Chris Benner talks about the affordable housing crisis that has the Bay Area in its grips now. U.S. Bureau data shows that the Bay Area is providing enough affordable housing for its wealthiest residents, but what about the workers who fill the low-wage but necessary service industries? Benner argues that changes in policy and practice can help minimize the displacement of low-wage workers and provide win-win situations for all.

About the Author: Chris Benner

Chris Benner is the Dorothy E. Everett Chair in Global Information and Social Entrepreneurship, Director of the Everett Program for Digital Tools for Social Innovation, and Professor of Environmental Studies and Sociology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. His research examines the relationships between technological change, regional development, and structures of economic opportunity, including regional labor markets and restructuring of work and employment. His most recent book, coauthored with Manuel Pastor, is Just Growth: Inclusion and Prosperity in America’s Metropolitan Region.