What California’s Housing Mandates Mean for Its Cities | James Mai

Siyamak Khorrami

Siyamak Khorrami has been the general manager and chief editor of the Southern California edition of The Epoch Times since 2017. He is also the host of the “California Insider” show, which showcases leaders and professionals across the state with inside information about trending topics and critical issues in California.

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October 17, 2026Updated: October 17, 2026

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California cities must plan for more housing, and proposals for new homes often bring worries about traffic and strained local services. In Irvine, many police officers and teachers who serve the city live far away because they cannot afford a home nearby.

Meeting those requirements means deciding where growth can fit and how a community will support it. The next round of housing targets is already being set.

James Mai, Vice Mayor of Irvine, discusses those decisions through his city’s experience. Irvine’s assigned target of about 23,000 homes turned into a plan with room for more than 50,000.