I agree with you about many of those problems but those things are also true in any other US state. It’s not like Texas or Tennessee or Minnesota have huge HSR networks that California doesn’t.
Austin is quickly building more housing though, which I am a fan of.
NIMBYs limiting growth.
Crazy crime handling policies in SF (which are getting reverted now).
Cities outside the main centers (SFBA, LA, etc) dying.
Complete political ineptitude for things like HSR
No wonder they're losing population