2026 June Primary Election

Steyer's range of housing policies set him apart from the rest of the field. He has committed to eliminating single-family zoning statewide, expanding by-right approvals, and upzoning around transit. He has publicly backed SB 79 and a range of other landmark housing legislation, and his co-founding of Beneficial State Bank has financed more than 17,000 affordable housing units.

His housing plan also takes on the structural forces that make building so expensive in California. Steyer has committed to closing the commercial property tax loophole that forces cities to backfill their budgets with developer fees, and to require localities to cap those fees in exchange for new state revenue. He would hold noncompliant cities accountable under state housing law while offering full state support to jurisdictions acting in good faith. 

Michael Tubbs has spent his career fighting for the kind of abundant, equitable California that YIMBYs believe in. As an early supporter of SB 79, Tubbs understands that California cannot solve its affordability crisis without building far more homes in every community. YIMBY Action endorsed Tubbs for Lieutenant Governor because he brings bold leadership, a commitment to abundance over scarcity, and a clear vision for an affordable California.

California's insurance industry has been decimated by insurance commissions that micromanage insurers' risk models, and respond to political pressure to artificially reduce insurance rates in high risk areas and for high risk structures.

Patrick has the experience and temperament to effectively return real competition to the insurance markets. He will ensure that insurers are accurately able to price risk. He will also fight insurers who lobby to keep their payout data secret to ensure that consumers have the data they need to shop for the best insurance. He will work with insurers and the legislature to create programs that help homeowners and cities reduce fire risk.

Patrick is a genuine technocrat, insurance professional and former hedge fund manager. For too long, the Insurance Commissioner has been a position held by a politician without any interest or expertise in insurance or economics who is merely seeking a statewide office and a paycheck. We have to do something different. 

David Cohen has a long record of supporting housing on the San José City Council. Endorsed by South Bay YIMBY in both his 2020 and 2024 council campaigns, he helped settle a lawsuit that transformed his district from one with virtually no new housing to one with nearly 3,000 units currently under construction. He has also supported streamlined permitting, reduced fees, and subsidized, transit-oriented affordable housing.

In responding to our questionnaire about his priorities for the state Assembly, Cohen outlined his commitment to curbing excessive impact fees that cities use to obstruct housing development, preserving and strengthening tenant protections, and holding local jurisdictions accountable for ending exclusionary zoning and building more housing near transit. In his own words, "addressing the immense affordability crisis that has built up over decades of underinvestment in housing will take urgency, focus, and courage."