The Daily
The Billionaires’ Secret Plan to Solve California’s Housing Crisis
Mar 11, 2024
Conor Dougherty, an economics reporter for The New York Times, dives into the secretive land acquisitions by Flannery Associates in Solano County. He explores how tech industry moguls plan to build a new city to tackle California's housing crisis, amid local resistance from long-time farmers. The conversation highlights the tension between innovative solutions and community distrust, raising questions about transparency and the true motivations behind these large-scale developments. Dougherty's insights reveal a fascinating intersection of ambition and skepticism.
28:13
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Quick takeaways
- A mysterious company's secretive land acquisition aims to build a new city to address housing crisis.
- Local community skepticism and backlash threaten the ambitious Silicon Valley-backed city-building project in Solano County.
Deep dives
The Mystery of Flannery Associates Buying Farmland
In a rural corner of Solano County, a mysterious company, Flannery Associates, begins buying vast amounts of land without revealing its intentions or identity. Despite offering generous deals to landowners, it becomes clear that they aren't interested in farming. Speculations arise about their motives, which triggers investigations from county and federal agencies due to the strategic location near Travis Air Force Base.
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