California Policy Lab September 2024 Newsletter

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New CPL report shows changes in student, home, and auto lending

The average monthly student loan payment declined 40% since the start of the pandemic. New mortgages are up $31k from last quarter. And new auto loans are down 11% over the last two years, after record highs. California Credit Dashboard Q2 Update

Half the people released from prison in 2023 had a “short stay” of 1 year or less

The share of people released from prison after a short stay increased from about one-third in 2014 to about one-half in 2023, according to our new “By the Numbers” fact sheet. The Committee on Revision of the Penal Code recommended that these shorter stays be served in county jails, building on the Public Safety Alignment Act of 2011. By the Numbers

The Irvine Foundation renews grant to CPL and partners for housing research 

The $1.6m grant will support housing research in collaboration with the Terner Center and the Othering and Belonging Institute, as well as other researchers at UC Berkeley. It will support an evaluation of California’s new “Dream for All” shared appreciation loan program for first-time and first-generation homebuyers, as well as research measuring neighborhood change, analyzing the financial impacts of rent control, and other projects.

Data to support policy-focused research  

Does your research focus on criminal justice, health, financial well-being, or social safety-net programs? Check out these CPL datasets:

• Safety Net Dataset
• Los Angeles Prosecution Data Hub
• Health Data Access Initiative
• University of California Consumer Credit Panel

We send a quarterly email reminder about these datasets, application deadlines, and other policy-focused updates. Sign up for it here.

Funding expired for Seed Grants + Grad Fellowships

CPL provided 50+ Seed Grants and Graduate Fellowships for UC students and faculty since 2021 as part of a grant from UCOP’s Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives. But that funding — which was so vital to students seeking access to CPL data resources — is now exhausted.

If you are interested in reviving these programs by providing support, please reach out to development@capolicylab.org.

Welcome new CPL staff

Jacob Morris recently joined our UCLA team and will be working on projects focused on unemployment insurance.

Attending APPAM’s Fall Conference? So are we!

CPL staff and affiliates will present and speak on panels focused on housing, criminal justice reform, CalFresh, and the economic recovery after the pandemic. CPL at the APPAM conference

Join CPL to generate research insights for government impact

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• • Graduate Student Researcher

Newsom’s Support for Harsher Theft Penalties Raises Questions From Criminal Justice Advocates

This article cites CPL’s report on sentence enhancements, which found the majority of people in California prisons had their sentences affected by enhancements.

CPL Report Highlights Short-Term Repercussions of LA Bail Reforms

This article focuses on CPL’s recent report analyzing the short-term impacts of several bail change policies in Los Angeles.

Please support our work
Consider donating to support our work generating research insights for government impact. If you are interested in making a larger gift, please reach out to Evan White or Janey Rountree to discuss opportunities to support CPL.