Silicon Valley's Dream City

Manhattan Insights

Over the past half decade, panic has spread among politicians in California, as a mysterious startup bought over 50,000 acres in Solano County. In fact, "California Forever" is an effort backed by Silicon Valley investors to develop a new city with tens of thousands of homes in farmland outside San Francisco. The utopian vision for the city promises safe, walkable neighborhoods, vibrant public spaces, and easy access to jobs. But given the state's byzantine rules for development, it's unclear whether the venture can succeed.

To shed light on this ambitious project, we have Chris Elmendorf, a leading expert on the Golden State's intricate land use regulations and a law professor at UC Davis. He joins host Reihan Salam to discuss California's housing challenges.

Related reading:

The Housing Treadmill, City Journal https://www.city-journal.org/article/the-housing-treadmill

The Silicon Valley Elite Who Want to Build a City From Scratch, New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/25/business/land-purchases-solano-county.html