Housing is on the ballot in November: Prop 1 and Prop 43

Approved, not built

Marin has over 2,000 approved affordable housing homes waiting to be built, but many remain stalled because there isn’t enough funding. Every year, affordable housing developments compete for limited state dollars, and many worthy projects are turned away. Here in Marin, the 1 Hamilton project in Mill Valley with 45 units and the 240 Tamal Vista project in Corte Madera with 99 units have gone through several competitive funding cycles, and have not yet been successful. Funding delays like these almost always lead to cost increases, often threatening the projects’ financial viability altogether. We simply need more funding to achieve our affordable housing goals.

Voter Choices in November Will Impact Housing

Two propositions on November’s ballot will have a direct impact on Marin’s ability to fund these and future projects. One proposition would increase the amount of funding available statewide. The other could make it harder for Marin communities to create additional local funding in the future. These measures are so impactful that Call Marin Home is taking the following positions on them: YES on Prop 1, NO on Prop 43. Here’s why.

Let’s get a little bit more into the details.

First, the good stuff — Prop 1 provides another $11.25 in bonds for affordable housing. This is both highly necessary and insufficient. These bonds will provide additional funding for several affordable housing programs, with the goals of building new affordable housing, preserving existing affordable housing, expanding home ownership opportunities, supporting people experiencing homelessness and funding infrastructure. It’s a start to fund the affordable housing we need.

The measure combines:

• $10.0 billion in General Obligation bonds for affordable housing programs.
• $1.25 billion for veterans’ housing and homeownership programs.

Proposition 1 does not raise a new tax on Marin residents. It allows California to borrow against future state revenues to invest in affordable housing now, to be repaid over time like other state infrastructure investments.

The $11.25 billion in bonds would be allocated as follows:

• $10 billion for affordable housing, with half allocated to the Multifamily Housing Program, and the rest disbursed between a number of other affordable housing programs. We are pleased that the final proposition includes $600 million for CalHome, the primary funding source for below market rate home ownership projects.
• $1.25 billion for the CalVet Home Loan Program.

The programs being funded are existing, oversubscribed programs with established implementation systems. Proposition 1 won’t solve California’s housing shortage by itself. But it will allow more approved projects to compete successfully for funding.

Now for the bad — If Prop 43 passes, it would make it far more difficult to raise local funding in the future for affordable housing. And we will need local funding to complement and leverage the funding that Proposition 1 provides.

Today, local government-sponsored special taxes generally require two-thirds voter approval. This is a very high threshold which few measures are able to achieve. However, citizen-initiated special taxes can pass with a simple majority. Special taxes are important for affordable housing programs, as they may be used more flexibly than bonds. Bonds are used to finance construction or major capital improvements. Affordable housing also depends on flexible funding for activities such as acquiring land, preserving existing affordable housing, and filling financing gaps that bonds alone cannot cover. Local revenue sources also help leverage state and federal funding sources. When evaluating applications, State and federal sources favor projects with a local contribution. As federal and state funding becomes less predictable, local communities increasingly rely on voter-approved funding measures to address these needs.

San Rafael’s recent citizen-initiated Measure P, funding for a new library and community center,  passed with a simple majority but well below two-thirds. Under the voting threshold established by Proposition 43, Measure P would not have met the required level of voter support. The recent Novato Unified School District bond used a mechanism that required a ⅔ vote, and barely missed passage.

Taken together, these propositions move in opposite directions. Proposition 1 expands the pool of funding available for affordable housing across California. Proposition 43 is expressly intended and would make it more difficult for communities to create new local funding sources in the future. Call Marin Home supports Proposition 1 and opposes Proposition 43 because Marin needs both strong state investment and the flexibility to create local solutions.

Affordable housing is too important to depend upon super-majority votes.

Call Marin Home’s positions:  YES on Prop 1 and NO on Prop 43

UPCOMING EVENTS & WEBINARS

August 14  |  Greenbelt Alliance at the San Rafael Summer Market

Greenbelt Alliance will be tabling to connect with neighbors, talk about local climate solutions, and dig into one of the biggest questions facing our region: how do we build the housing our communities need? Stop by their table, snag a sticker, and share your thoughts on what a thriving, climate-resilient San Rafael could be.

September 22, 3–5 pm  |  Housing Solutions Forum @ College of Marin

Save the Date. Call Marin Home and Greenbelt Alliance will host an informational  forum about the challenges and opportunities of affordable housing, and the benefits to the community when people who work here can live here, and families and neighborhoods remain intact.

September 30, 12-1pm  |  Affordable Housing Bond and Beyond

Advocates from leading affordable housing organizations across the Bay Area will present the facts about Prop 1 and Prop 43, answer any questions you have about these ballot measures or others.

Link coming soon – we will post at callmarinhome.org when it’s available.

We are a broad and strong coalition

Call Marin Home is a collaborative partnership of leading Marin County organizations working to create systemic change that expands access to affordable, workforce, and accessible housing in order to ensure that everyone in Marin has a place to call home. The coalition continues to grow. Interested in joining? Email Jenny. View our current membership here >>.

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Call Marin Home is a 501(c)3 86-2659273 charity