California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday rolled out a new Affordability Response Team inside the state Department of Justice, a unit tasked with investigating practices that make everyday life more expensive. The team is charged with rooting out hidden fees and unlawful pricing behavior that drive up the cost of groceries, gas, utilities, housing and health care for Californians.
In a press release from the California Department of Justice, Bonta’s office said the team will pull in lawyers and investigators from across DOJ to track down and challenge unlawful business practices that raise prices. The release notes that the affordability crunch hits hardest for low-income households, communities of color, people with disabilities and young adults, and says the new unit is intended to create “a pipeline to tackle affordability from all angles.”
What the team will target
The office says the Affordability Response Team will concentrate on eight broad areas: household essentials such as groceries, gas and utilities; housing and insurance; healthcare; childcare, education and retirement; wages; financial protections; scams; and “the high cost of enjoying life,” including hidden fees tied to entertainment and travel.
As reported by LAist, Bonta told reporters, “We’re thinking about your bills. We’re thinking about your budgets. We’re thinking about your ability to afford living in this state and in this country.”
How Californians can report problems
The DOJ is urging consumers who suspect unlawful billing or pricing practices to file complaints through the department’s consumer complaint form. Residents can visit the California Department of Justice’s consumer complaint page to report businesses that may be violating consumer-protection or antitrust laws. Those tips and complaints can help feed into the Affordability Response Team’s investigations.
Background and enforcement track record
Bonta’s announcement builds on a series of recent consumer-protection and antitrust efforts by his office and multistate partners, including work related to algorithmic rent pricing and other alleged price-hiking conduct. Industry coverage from HousingWire has tracked multistate settlements and DOJ filings that officials say highlight the kinds of practices the new team is looking to pursue.
What to watch next
The Affordability Response Team is not expected to deliver instant relief, but the rollout signals the attorney general’s intent to lean on investigations, litigation and settlements to challenge pricing practices. Bonta’s office is expected to share enforcement updates and issue consumer guidance as the unit gets to work.
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