“I Love California, But California Doesn’t Love Me”

In-N-Out President Lynsi Snyder recently announced that she and her family are leaving California for Tennessee. On a recent episode of the podcast Relatable, she put it plainly:

“There’s a lot of great things about California, but raising a family is not easy here. Doing business is not easy here now.”

She said the quiet part out loud: “I love California, but California doesn’t love me.”

Lynsi, we get it. We really do.

I just had breakfast with a friend, Chris. He and his wife are moving to Houston. They love California, but like many others I know—small business owners, young professionals, retired teachers, and even pastors. Many of them have reached the heartbreaking conclusion that the state they love no longer loves them back. Each week, more of them are packing up and leaving.

California is a place of natural beauty and endless opportunity. We have some of the best universities in the world, a rich diversity of people and cultures, a vibrant tech economy, world-class restaurants, stunning beaches, and, of course, sunshine in abundance. But for far too many Californians, especially those in the working and middle classes, those blessings feel increasingly out of reach.

We talk often about the state’s $4.1 trillion economy, now the fourth largest in the world, but for many families, that prosperity has not trickled down.

While some are benefiting from a virtuous cycle of wealth creation, too many are stuck in a vicious cycle of rising costs and suffocating regulations.

I come from a working-class background. In high school, my bedroom was a blanket and pillow on the living room floor. Today, each of my two daughters has her own room. I’m grateful for the progress, for the opportunities, and for California itself. But I also see how increasingly rare my story is becoming.

Many families today are crowded into small apartments. Young adults, including recent college graduates, are moving back in with their parents because they can't afford rent. Their optimism and hope that life would improve for the next generation are gradually fading.

It’s not about inflation or post-pandemic recovery. These struggles are largely driven by policy.

Gas prices that lead the nation. A housing market that’s priced out the middle class. Refineries shutting down with no clear energy plan to replace them. Building codes and labor agreements that make it nearly impossible to build affordable homes. Tax rates that squeeze both families and businesses. The same people building our homes often can’t afford to live in them.

The numbers tell the story:

• •California lost more residents than it gained in 2024.
• •60% of Atlas Van Lines customers moved out of California.
• •56% of California voters have considered leaving due to the cost of living.
• •35% have had to choose between food and housing in the past month.
• •3.8 million California families (35%) don’t earn sufficient income to meet basic needs

We are witnessing a slow unraveling of the California Dream.

Yes, we still lead in innovation. Yes, we still attract talent. But unless we take the concerns of everyday Californians seriously, we’ll continue to see families, businesses, and even legacy brands like In-N-Out look elsewhere.

Some say it’s just the cost of progress. I say we’re taxing and regulating our own future away.

This doesn’t have to be our fate. California can still be the land of opportunity, but only if we recognize what’s tearing those dreams apart. We need policies that prioritize working families, promote small businesses, and make housing affordable for the people who live and work here.

Families aren’t leaving because they hate California. They’re leaving because, like Lynsi, they love it but feel California doesn’t love them back.

I hope that Lynsi’s story, like those of so many others, will finally get Sacramento’s attention.

Hector Barajas is the founder of Amplify360 Inc., a public affairs and strategic communications firm with offices in Sacramento and Los Angeles, advising companies and associations on legislative, regulatory, and political issues across California.

X: @HectorMBarajas

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hectormbarajas/