New Valley 102
Through the Roof

In 1849, The Gold Rush sent thousands of opportunity-seeking gold-miners into San Francisco. Housing went ballistic: $800 to rent a one-room shack. A property that went for $25,000 in 1848, brought $300,000 in 1849. In 2001 the rush is on again. Not in San Francisco, but in the Central Valley. Not for gold, but for the California dream: a home with space enough for young families to expand, and escape the frustrations and overcrowding of the cities.

In our first installment of this series, we met families who were willing to pay the price of long commutes, gridlock congestion, and increasingly less time with the family just to realize that homeowner's dream.

Many urban centers in the Valley are deteriorating, while suburbs spread to accommodate the dream. But according to the California Building Industry Association, the state is only providing half the houses we need for the growth we're experiencing. Is anyone at the helm in planning the growth of the communities in the Central Valley? Are developers having a field day at the expense of the economy and the environment?

What kind of picture is the Central Valley scenario painting for those thousands of young families hunting that California dream?

INTERVIEWS:

Jean Ross
Executive Director, CA Budget Project

STORIES:

House Hunting
Produced by Melissa Crowley

Living for the City
Produced by Pam Turse & J. Greenberg

Farm Housing
Produced by Pat McConahay

Ag Development
Produced by Jennifer Fischer

TRANSCRIPT:

The complete text of New Valley Episode 102 -- Through the Roof...

Presentation also made possible by a grant from
the Great Valley Center