The Indicator In The House

Enlarge this image toggle caption Anda Chu/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images Anda Chu/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images

Today we're bringing you two summertime stories from The Indicator, Planet Money's short daily podcast about economic ideas. (Subscribe here).

California's economy is growing, and so is its population. That means it needs more homes for people. But the state is struggling to keep up and Governor Gavin Newsom says there's a full-blown housing crisis.

So he's using a heavy hand to pressure cities to build, build, build. Naturally, some cities don't like being told they have to grow. Now it's a head-to-head fight between city and state.

We go to a different part of the state for our second story. As wildfires become more devastating every year, some rich people are having private firefighters protect their homes. What does this say about public services, new industries, and inequality?

Music: "Damn Hot", "All That I Have To Give" , and "Just For Fun."

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