Latino voters in California face greater housing and energy cost pressures across income levels

Research co-authored by Dr. Arturo Vargas Bustamante, professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management, examined concerns about housing-related expenses, including electricity and cooling costs during extreme heat, as well as back-to-school necessities, and the financial strategies households use to manage these costs.

The survey included 4,207 California registered voters, with 1,189 Latino respondents, and Latino registered voters in California report greater concerns about affording housing and electricity than their non-Latino counterparts, according to new research from the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute (LPPI). Even among households earning $100,000 to $199,999 annually, Latino voters were nearly twice as likely to report dipping into their savings (13% vs. 7%) or cutting other spending (29% vs. 15%) to pay utility bills.

“Housing and energy costs are placing significant pressure on California households, and Latino voters are reporting consistently higher rates compared to other voters,” said Bustamante, who also serves as faculty research director at LPPI. “For families already dedicating a substantial share of their income to housing, extreme heat and rising electricity bills create additional financial burdens. These findings show why affordability policies must account for the combined pressures households face, particularly as rising temperatures make access to cooling increasingly important.”

The analysis draws on August 2026 polling data from UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS). The survey includes 4,207 California registered voters, with 1,189 Latino respondents, and examines concerns about housing-related expenses, electricity and cooling costs during extreme heat, back-to-school necessities, and the financial strategies households use to manage these costs.

Key findings from the research include:

• Housing costs: 35% of registered Latino voters reported being very worried about keeping up with housing-related expenses, compared to 21% of non-Latino voters. 
• Energy affordability: Nearly twice as many registered Latino voters as non-Latinos (29% vs. 15%) reported being very worried about their household’s ability to afford electricity during periods of extreme heat. Nearly half of Latino (47%) and non-Latino (45%) registered voters reported limiting air conditioning use during extreme heat days.
• Utility bills: 17% of Latino registered voters reported dipping into savings to pay utility bills, compared with 9% of non-Latino voters.
• Back-to-school expenses: 34% of Latino voters with applicable school-related expenses were very concerned about affording them, compared to 23% of non-Latino voters.

“California families already face high housing and electricity costs, and Latino families are feeling that pressure hard, said Rosario Majano, a UCLA Fielding alum (MS, ’20) and research analyst at LPPI who co-authored the brief. “At the same time, extreme heat and rising temperatures are increasing the importance of affordable access to electricity and cooling, particularly in communities already facing substantial housing cost burdens.”

The brief is one of two UCLA LPPI studies released today examining California’s affordability crisis. A companion brief explores broader financial insecurity, household spending decisions, and the potential consequences of reduced Medi-Cal and CalFresh benefits.