Gov. Gavin Newsom, fresh off a trip to South Carolina to test his political appeal ahead of a likely presidential run, announced Friday that California is creating a new agency to consolidate the state’s efforts to confront two of its most pressing challenges: lowering housing costs and helping people off the streets.

Gov. Gavin Newsom of California met with Democratic voters in an early primary state that has become pivotal in presidential races.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom promoted his more than 2,000-mile jaunt from California to South Carolina as a bid to help the party win back the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026, but most people there saw it as a precursor to a 2028 presidential run.