I lived in California for about 15 years.
Most people who love California climate/terrain love it for being warm and sunny most of the time, but not Phoenix hot (except for San Francisco, which isn't always warm and sunny, but has or at least had its own unique vibe); for being near the ocean; for having some beautiful terrain of mountains, coast, trees, desert; for having every type of cuisine, every type of store; some for the vibe of a particular place, like Hollywood, SF, Berkeley, Venice, Santa Cruz, etc.
Some of the appeal is the mystique of the past, when the area was less crowded and had less squalor. The California of:
https://youtu.be/N-aK6JnyFmkhttps://youtu.be/eKt83DrSS4s?list=PLzKPKXUsNOjgQtYAgl8TdkOL0FvPYoTVShttps://youtu.be/CnzTgUc5yccLike most places, it's better if you are wealthy.
But they are busily ruining it by increasing crime, crowding, squalor, and cost of living.