| Photo by Brandi Alexandra on Unsplash
Part V of “Replace Cronyism With Cooperativism” Series
Apparently, almost all of California’s political leaders, from all parties, shades, ethnicities, and denominations, forgot the basics of socioeconomics. And also reality and common-sense governance.
Many Californian businesses and families have been moving to other states where the total cost of doing business and living, and average home or factory-site prices, are more affordable. Yes, places where an annual household income required to live comfortably need not be in the seven- or six-figure range. Thus, comedians joke that California indeed deserves to be called the “Golden State” because its residents and businesses need a lot of gold to live or do business there comfortably. Or for companies to compete with other manufacturers or logistics firms located in different states.
For 2025, the Top Ten most-expensive cities to live in the U.S. include five California cities — according to recent reports from CNBC, SmartAsset, and the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER).
Based on multiple 2025 reports, here are 10 of the most expensive cities in the U.S.:
1.) San Jose, California; 2.) New York, New York; 3.) San Francisco, California; 4.) Honolulu, Hawaii; 5.) Los Angeles, California; (6.) San Diego, California; (7.) Boston, Massachusetts; (8.) Seattle, Washington: (9) Washington, D.C.; and (10). Oakland, California.
There is more reality that California is no longer the land of golden opportunities for decent-paying jobs or residential requirements of employees — whether they work for state or local governments or in the private sector. Six of the 10 cities with the most homelessness are in the Golden State.
The shortage of affordable housing in urban centers, coupled with high inflation, has led many to abandon their homes. Six of the 10 cities with the most homelessness are in California.
Since 2016, “chronic homelessness” has increased by 65% in the country. A U.S. News report revealed that in 2024, 40% of all homeless people were unsheltered, meaning they slept in tents, on the streets, or in vehicles. Cities, especially those in warmer climates, have higher rates of homelessness than smaller rural areas.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors points to the lack of affordable housing as the main problem. It also stressed that there is a strong relationship between high rates of homelessness and mental-health issues or substance abuse. However, social-science experts claim that high housing costs have a more direct relationship to the increase in homelessness. The shortage of affordable housing in urban centers, coupled with high inflation, has led many to abandon their homes. Six of the 10 cities with the most homelessness are in California.
Here is the list of the Top Ten cities with the most homeless residents: 1.) Los Angeles, CA; 2.) New York, NY; 3.0) Seattle, WA; 4.) San Jose, CA; 5.) Oakland, CA; 6.) Sacramento, CA; 7.) Phoenix, AZ; 8.) San Diego, CA; 9.) San Francisco, CA; and 10.) Denver, CO.
And speaking of the City of Oakland in Northern California, this columnist tried his best to save its 155-year-old Holy Names University (HNU) from shutting its doors. His granddaughter was a member of the HNU’s last graduating batch in May 2023. In Part VI of this series, he will discuss why the HNU fiasco was one of the factors that led the Democratic Party to lose the presidency in 2024. And why it will impact the primary elections of both major parties in 2028.
This columnist wrote some two dozen articles urging the leadership of the state, county, and city governments, as well as the major political parties, to save not only the City of Oakland’s and California’s economies but also a university landmark, Holy Names University, aside from solving the homelessness and other pestering socioeconomic problems of California. Interested readers may type in “HNU” in the Search Box of the Philippine Daily Mirror to read in advance any of the said articles — as homework.
