A California Democrat believes the housing shortage can be solved on the factory line.
California assemblymember Buffy Wicks thinks there are many solutions to California’s housing shortage, which has tormented the state for years.
Wicks says factory-assembled housing can be the innovation to solve the housing crisis.
“California is a leader in innovation — it’s time to apply that mindset to solving our housing crisis,” Wicks said in a statement accompanying what she called “evidence-backed research” backing their housing objectives.
One of the companies behind the factory-assembled housing concepts is Boxabl. Boxabl, which has famous customers like tech magnate Elon Musk, assembles houses on-site once customers place an online order. Their Casita house ranges from a studio to a two-bedroom.
“We’re still building homes in a similar way to what we did a hundred years ago, and it’s not enough to address the housing shortage we’re facing today. Innovative construction methods have a role to play in solving that crisis. It’s not a silver bullet, but it can be a meaningful addition to our ability to build the housing that California so desperately needs,” she added.
Wicks formed the Assembly Select Committee on Housing Construction Innovation recently to explore “modern, cost-efficient, climate-smart approaches to building new homes in California.”
What are the houses made of? Concrete, steel, and a substance called expanded polystyrene foam, the company said. “These are building materials that don’t degrade and will last a lifetime,” they said.
Expanded polystyrene foam is a lightweight and cost-effective material that serves as an insulator.
California recently approved the company’s 2-bedroom Casita model. Boxabl’s CFO, Martin Costas, called it a “pivotal moment for Boxabl and California’s housing industry.”
“With housing costs burdening 66.6 million U.S. households who are consequently unable to afford $250,000 homes — and California leading the crisis — larger modular ADUs like our 2-Bedroom Casita are not just innovative — they’re essential,” Costas said of the Boxabls.
Dan Dunmoyer, president and CEO of the California Building Industry Association, told Capitol Weekly that there are concerns about months of inactivity in housing factories when they have no work.
“[If] you were to tell any car company we might need some cars in January and February but not in March and April, well what do I do with my workers doing this two months? … Manufacturing any product requires a steady stream of need,” Dunmoyer said.
Republican Assemblymember Heather Hadwick believes the factory housing idea could be beneficial.
“I think it could be a huge win especially for my district. I mean, we have the timber, we have the natural resources that we need to build more houses,” she told Capitol Weekly in an interview.
“I also was pleasantly surprised that they were starting out at like $24 an hour, $25 an hour. … I think $24 to $25 would be a good competitive wage that we could actually make work in Northern California. And so I’m really hopeful.”
