Editorial: Education plays role in housing shortage

Countless think tanks, governnment officials and industry representatives are wringing their hands over the cost of housing in California.

Politicians point to the lack of affordable housing as one of the reasons for homelessness.

There is no arguing that California housing prices have soared. Blame has been placed on zoning, environmental restrictions, material costs and land availability. All those are factors, but there’s another that really isn’t being acknowledged. Our education system.

California educators from the state on down have failed to step up to expanding education in the trade skills. This includes construction.

While career and technical training is the new trend, few institutions actually teach how to build a house. Trying to explain the lack of support, educators point to higher incomes in other industries, the lack of high school teachers to motivate interest, expensive equipment, and subsequently the lack of — should we say — energetic students.

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