Chris Nichols

Homelessness and Housing Affordability reporter

Chris covers homelessness and housing affordability across the Sacramento region with a focus on the local and statewide policies that shape these topics. Previously, Chris led CapRadio’s fact-checking initiative PolitiFact California, debunking misinformation throughout the Golden State.

Earlier in his career, Chris spent a dozen years writing about government and politics at newspapers across California. He covered the Capitol for the San Diego Union-Tribune. Before that, he worked as a news reporter at the North County Times in Escondido, the Lodi News-Sentinel and the Sonora Union-Democrat.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley and later his master’s degree from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.

Chris is cautiously optimistic that his hometown San Diego Padres will someday be World Champions, but he’s not holding his breath.

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Stories by Chris Nichols

Newsom administration to provide 1,200 tiny homes statewide, including 350 for the Sacramento region
March 16, 2023
Governor Gavin Newsom kicked off a four-day “state of the state” tour across California in Sacramento on Thursday by announcing plans for the tiny homes.
Sacramento is exploring a vacancy tax on empty lots, storefronts and possibly even homes
March 13, 2023
Officials say the tax could help revitalize stretches of the city where stores or homes have sat empty for years, including blighted commercial corridors like K Street in downtown.
Tiny home village sits empty as delays, costs mount for Sacramento homelessness project
March 2, 2023
County officials say the Safe Stay Community will be a new model for sanctioned encampments when it opens.
California tripled its spending on Sacramento’s homelessness crisis. Here’s where the money went.
February 27, 2023
Affordable housing accounts for the largest increase in the region’s allocated funding for homelessness.
Sacramento and Placer are ‘prohousing,’ according to the state, but what does that designation actually mean?
February 21, 2023
The two counties have streamlined their housing development processes, making it easier, faster and cheaper to build more apartments, duplexes and homes for all income levels.
Sacramento will reopen Miller Park homeless safe ground with 15 travel trailers
February 15, 2023
In what might be viewed as a reversal, the city of Sacramento said this week it will reopen the Miller Park safe ground for unhoused residents, using 15 travel trailers as shelter.
Paul’s Place provides ‘path forward’ for unhoused residents in Davis
February 8, 2023
Officials celebrated the opening of Paul’s Place in Davis this week. The 4-story building includes a homeless resource center, emergency shelter beds and permanent housing.
California announces plan to convert 3 office buildings in downtown Sacramento into housing
January 31, 2023
Organizations working out of these offices will be relocated by 2025, and the buildings will be turned into “transit-oriented affordable housing,” state officials said.
Republican plan would outlaw homeless camps near California schools or parks
January 26, 2023
Sacramento, Elk Grove and Los Angeles passed similar encampment bans last year, despite opposition from advocates who say they harm unhoused residents by separating them from resources.
Q&A: Outgoing leader of Sacramento Housing Alliance says regional approach needed to tackle affordable housing crisis
January 19, 2023
Kendra Lewis served as executive director of the Sacramento Housing Alliance over the past two years. She recently accepted a position at the Sierra Health Foundation.

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