Californians face a series of significant challenges, many of which are being experienced worldwide. However, the size, geographical diversity, and population of the state of California mean that the issues are magnified here in the Golden State. Below are just a few of the most pressing problems and challenges Californians face today and are hoping to combat. 

High rents

Cities around the world are struggling under the burden of skyrocketing rental rates and home prices. An entire generation has been priced out of the homeownership market so severely that it is not clear what the future will look like. There is a genuine possibility that millennials and Gen Z’s will not be able to purchase a home until their 40s or 50s, which is significantly later than former generations. This could devastate future pensions as millions of people will be renting for their entire lives and will need to be able to afford rent on a pension – not an easy task. 

As rental and home prices continue to soar worldwide, it is unclear what will happen next or how the market might quickly become more affordable. However, what is clear is that we are swiftly reaching a breaking point. 

Clean drinking water

Since before it was even a state, access to clean drinking water has been a problem for California residents. The historical issues with drinking water are mainly due to the state’s arid climate, over a century of water wastage, and a continually growing population. 

These are significant challenges for the state to face. It is hardly surprising that hundreds of thousands of people in California live in areas where clean drinking water is not guaranteed. Unfortunately, access to clean water is an issue that impacts low-income neighborhoods more than wealthier areas. It is not uncommon to see suburbs with verdant green lawns in the middle of the California desert. 

As the droughts in California continually grow worse and local waterways shrink, new ideas are needed to accommodate the growing need for water. Infrastructure projects such as the innovative Cadiz Water Project have entered the fray in an attempt to bring clean drinking water to much of Southern California’s population. 

The number of rivers and lakes sucked dry by the large cities in California is startling, and it is hardly surprising that there are now fewer waterways to draw from. Cadiz Water Project is a public-private venture between the various water agencies in Southern California and Cadiz Inc., a desert agriculture company. Cadiz hopes to develop a new water supply in the state by reducing recurrent groundwater loss and collecting water in the desert before it has time to evaporate. If successful, this project could provide clean water to up to 400,000 people in the Southern California area – quite an impressive feat! 

Climate change 

Climate change is a massive challenge faced by everyone around the world. However, as California has an arid climate in many places, the challenges are amplified. While climate change will become progressively worse, Californians are already feeling the pressure from massive annual wildfires, water shortages, mass biodiversity die-off, and poor air quality. 

While there is widespread support for measures to protect the environment, big industrial conglomerates are powerful lobbyists, and meaningful change is difficult to bring in the Golden state. It is possible that once things get even worse, changes could be introduced, but by that time, it will be too late to save many ecosystems, neighborhoods, and plant and animal species. 

Homelessness 

Finally, homelessness is a major concern in California. California has a substantial homeless population, and the numbers are growing. This is partially because states such as California, Oregon, and Washington have much better supports available to people experiencing homelessness than the rest of the states in America. As a result, many vulnerable and homeless people travel to or are sent to these West Coast states. 

In California, as within many other states, homeless populations are challenging to manage, and state budgets are reluctant to allocate money towards housing. Instead of providing long-term housing and health care solutions – such as safe injection sites – many Californian cities instead opt for short-term solutions. This includes police action against rough sleepers and sweeps of encampment sites in which camps are destroyed, and homeless people are often beaten. 

Not only do actions such as encampment sweeps traumatize people who are already vulnerable and at risk, but they also do not solve any problems. The people who previously lived in the encampment are merely moved outside the encampment and seek other places to sleep, where they will once again be pushed out after a time. 

These are just a handful of the many different issues facing Californians today.