Latest line: A good week for YIMBYs, a bad week for election officials

Newsom signs bills to ease housing construction, while registrars see big turnover.

YIMBYs

The “Yes in My Backyard” movement wins big as Gov. Gavin Newsom signs multiple bills to streamline housing construction, ease selling and renting of backyard units, and to allow religious groups to build affordable housing on their land.

Election officials

A new report shows that 41% of California’s chief county election officials have left since November 2020, due in part to stress and threats linked to Donald Trump’s lies that he lost re-election because the count was “rigged” or “stolen.”

Roger Benitez

After overturning California’s law to ban high-capacity gun magazines, the San Diego judge sees his decision temporarily blocked by the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. But it or the Supreme Court could still uphold his ruling later.