Housing Reporter

Ethan Varian

Ethan Varian is a Bay Area News Group reporter covering housing for The Mercury News and East Bay Times. He was previously a housing and homelessness reporter at the Santa Rosa Press Democrat in Sonoma County. His stories about housing, business and culture have been published in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and the Guardian US, among others. He graduated from Colorado College with a BA degree in history and the University of Southern California with an MS degree in journalism.

A housing development is seen near former salt ponds from this drone view in Newark, Calif., on Jan. 27, 2022.

Housing |
Housing costs trouble Bay Area residents more than elsewhere in California, new poll finds

February 3, 2023 at 6:45 a.m.

As the Bay Area struggles to confront its chronic housing shortage, a new poll shows that residents here are more concerned about the high cost of housing than those anywhere...

The high price of organic lettuce confronts shoppers at Piedmont Grocery in Oakland, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022.

Environment |
$11 for a head of California lettuce? Here’s what’s behind the shortage causing ‘outrageous’ prices

December 16, 2022 at 7:45 a.m.

Crop disease is ravaging lettuce fields in Salinas Valley -- the "Salad Bowl of the World" -- causing a nationwide shortage.

The Bay Area is now the only part of California where homes are selling for less than they were a year ago, as rising interest rates continue to throw cold water on the region's once-scorching pandemic real estate market.

Housing |
Bay Area the only region in California where homes are selling for less than a year ago

October 24, 2022 at 8:14 a.m.

The Bay Area is now the only part of California where homes are selling for less than they were a year ago, as rising interest rates continue to throw cold...

While U.S. apartment construction is at a 50-year high, San Francisco is expected to see a 58% drop in the number of apartments completed this year.

Housing |
Bay Area apartment construction lags as rest of the country booms

September 12, 2022 at 7:10 a.m.

While U.S. apartment construction is at a 50-year high, San Francisco is expected to see a 58% drop in the number of apartments completed this year.

Many have been forced to buy expensive policies through the state’s insurer of last resort.

Housing |
California homeowners could continue losing insurance as wildfire threat looms

August 29, 2022 at 4:50 p.m.

Many have been forced to buy expensive policies through the state’s insurer of last resort.

Bay Area cities and counties will receive more than $226 million in state grants to create over 800 new units of supportive housing for homeless people, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday.

Bay Area awarded millions in Project Homekey grants for new homeless housing

August 25, 2022 at 2:29 p.m.

Bay Area cities and counties will receive more than $226 million in state grants to create over 800 new units of supportive housing for homeless people, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced...

In June, the median price of existing single-family houses in the nine-county region declined 7% from the previous month -- the steepest May-to-June dip ever recorded by the California Association of Realtors.

Housing |
Bay Area home prices see largest May-to-June drop on record

July 26, 2022 at 6:56 a.m.

In June, the median price of existing single-family houses in the nine-county region declined 7% from the previous month -- the steepest May-to-June dip ever recorded by the California Association...

Experts say the spike in Bay Area foreclosures doesn't signal a coming housing crash.

Housing |
Bay Area home foreclosures rising after pandemic pause

July 25, 2022 at 8:29 a.m.

Experts say the spike in Bay Area foreclosures doesn't signal a coming housing crash.

The breakneck pace of price growth in the Bay Area housing market appears to have peaked.

Housing |
Bay Area housing market ‘normalizing’ but prices remain high

July 11, 2022 at 10:09 a.m.

The breakneck pace of price growth in the Bay Area housing market appears to have peaked.

Racist housing rules are no longer enforceable.

Housing |
State bill requires removal of ‘racial covenants’ from California property records

July 5, 2022 at 9:18 a.m.

Racist housing rules are no longer enforceable.

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