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California Proposition 1, Housing Programs and Veterans' Loans Bond (2018)
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 22
- Early voting: Oct. 8 - Nov. 5
- Absentee voting deadline: Postmark Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: Yes
- Voter ID: No
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
| California Proposition 1 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 6, 2018 | |
| Topic Bond issues and Housing | |
Status Approved | |
| Type Bond issue | Origin State Legislature |
California Proposition 1, the Housing Programs and Veterans' Loans Bond, was on the ballot in California as a legislatively referred bond act on November 6, 2018. The measure was approved.
| A "yes" vote supported this measure to authorize $4 billion in general obligation bonds for housing-related programs, loans, grants, and projects and housing loans for veterans. |
| A "no" vote opposed this measure to authorize $4 billion in general obligation bonds for housing-related programs, loans, grants, and projects and housing loans for veterans. |
Election results
|
California Proposition 1 |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
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6,751,018 | 56.22% | ||
| No | 5,258,157 | 43.78% | ||
Overview
Measure design
Proposition 1 authorized $4 billion in general obligation bonds for housing-related programs, loans, grants, and projects and housing loans for veterans. The measure was designed to distribute the bond revenue as follows:[1]
- $1 billion for the CalVet Home Loan Program, which offers loans to veterans for the purchase of homes, farms, units in cooperative developments, and mobile homes;
- $1.5 billion for the Multifamily Housing Program (MHP), which offers loans for the construction, rehabilitation, and preservation of rental housing for persons with incomes of 60 percent or below of the area median income;
- $150 million for the Transit-Oriented Development Implementation Fund, which offers loans and grants to local governments and developers for housing projects near transit stations;
- $300 million for the Regional Planning, Housing, and Infill Incentive Account, which offers grants for infill infrastructure that supports high-density affordable and mixed-income housing;
- $150 million for the Home Purchase Assistance Program, which offers loans to low-income and moderate-income homebuyers;
- $300 million for the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Fund, which offers grants and loans for farmworker housing;
- $300 million for the Local Housing Trust Matching Grant Program, which offers matching grants to local housing trust funds for "pilot programs to demonstrate innovative, cost-saving approaches to creating or preserving affordable housing;" and
- $300 million for the Self-Help Housing Fund, which provides forgivable loans for mortgage assistance, the development of multiple home ownership units, and manufactured homes.
General obligation bonds in California
In California, the state sells general obligation bonds to investors, who are in effect providing funds to the state that the state then repays to the investors with interest over a period of time. The state repays bondholders through revenue in the General Fund.[2] The California Constitution requires that general obligation bond issues of $300,000 or more be referred to voters for approval or rejection.
Text of measure
Ballot title
The official ballot title was as follows:[3]
| “ |
Authorizes Bonds to Fund Specified Housing Assistance Programs. Legislative Statute.[4] |
” |
Ballot summary
The official ballot summary was as follows:[3]
| “ |
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” |
Fiscal impact statement
The fiscal impact statement was as follows:[3]
| “ | Increased state costs to repay bonds averaging about $170 million annually over the next 35 years. These bond funds would be used to provide affordable housing.[4] | ” |
Full text
The full text of the measure was as follows:[1]
SEC 1. This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2018. SEC. 2. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
SEC. 3. Part 16 (commencing with Section 54000) is added to Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code, to read: PART 16. Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2018 CHAPTER 1. General Provisions 54000. Together with Article 5z (commencing with Section 998.600) of Chapter 6 of Division 4 of the Military and Veterans Code, this part shall be known, and may be cited, as the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2018. 54002. As used in this part, the following terms have the following meanings:
54004. This part shall only become operative upon adoption by the voters at the November 6, 2018, statewide general election. CHAPTER 2. Affordable Housing Bond Act Trust Fund of 2018 and Program 54006. The Affordable Housing Bond Act Trust Fund of 2018 is hereby created within the State Treasury. It is the intent of the Legislature that the proceeds of bonds (exclusive of refunding bonds issued pursuant to Section 54026) be deposited in the fund and used to fund the housing-related programs described in this chapter. The proceeds of bonds issued and sold pursuant to this part for the purposes specified in this chapter shall be allocated in the following manner:
54007. (a) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, the Department of Housing and Community Development may provide technical assistance to eligible counties and eligible cities, or developers of affordable housing within eligible counties and eligible cities, to facilitate the construction of housing for the target populations for the following programs funded pursuant to this part:
54008. (a) The Legislature may, from time to time, amend any law related to programs to which funds are, or have been, allocated pursuant to this chapter for the purposes of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of those programs or to further the goals of those programs.
54009. Programs funded with bond proceeds shall, when allocating financial support, give preference to projects that are “public works” for purposes of Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1720) of Part 7 of Division 2 of the Labor Code and other projects on which all construction workers will be paid at least the general prevailing rate of per diem wages as determined by the Director of Industrial Relations. CHAPTER 3. Fiscal Provisions 54010. Bonds in the total amount of three billion dollars ($3,000,000,000), exclusive of refunding bonds issued pursuant to Section 54026, or so much thereof as is necessary as determined by the committee, are hereby authorized to be issued and sold for carrying out the purposes expressed in this part and to reimburse the General Obligation Bond Expense Revolving Fund pursuant to Section 16724.5 of the Government Code. All bonds herein authorized which have been duly issued, sold, and delivered as provided herein shall constitute valid and binding general obligations of the state, and the full faith and credit of the state is hereby pledged for the punctual payment of both principal of and interest on those bonds when due. 54012. The bonds authorized by this part shall be prepared, executed, issued, sold, paid, and redeemed as provided in the State General Obligation Bond Law (Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 16720) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code), except subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 16727 of the Government Code, and all of the provisions of that law as amended from time to time apply to the bonds and to this part, except as provided in Section 54028, and are hereby incorporated in this part as though set forth in full in this part. 54014. (a) Solely for the purpose of authorizing the issuance and sale, pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law, of the bonds authorized by this part, the committee is continued in existence. For the purposes of this part, the Housing Finance Committee is “the committee” as that term is used in the State General Obligation Bond Law.
54016. Upon request of the board stating that funds are needed for purposes of this part, the committee shall determine whether or not it is necessary or desirable to issue bonds, and, if so, the amount of bonds to be issued and sold. Successive issues of bonds may be authorized and sold to carry out those actions progressively, and are not required to be sold at any one time. Bonds may bear interest subject to federal income tax. 54018. There shall be collected annually, in the same manner and at the same time as other state revenue is collected, a sum of money in addition to the ordinary revenues of the state, sufficient to pay the principal of, and interest on, the bonds each year. It is the duty of all officers charged by law with any duty in regard to the collections of state revenues to do or perform each and every act which is necessary to collect that additional sum. 54020. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, there is hereby appropriated from the General Fund in the State Treasury, for the purposes of this part, an amount that will equal the total of both of the following:
54022. The board may request the Pooled Money Investment Board to make a loan from the Pooled Money Investment Account, in accordance with Section 16312 of the Government Code, for purposes of this part. The amount of the request shall not exceed the amount of the unsold bonds that the committee has, by resolution, authorized to be sold, excluding any refunding bonds authorized pursuant to Section 54026, for purposes of this part, less any amount loaned pursuant to this section and not yet repaid and any amount withdrawn from the General Fund pursuant to Section 54024 and not yet returned to the General Fund. The board shall execute any documents as required by the Pooled Money Investment Board to obtain and repay the loan. Any amount loaned shall be deposited in the fund to be allocated in accordance with this part. 54024. For purposes of carrying out this part, the Director of Finance may, by executive order, authorize the withdrawal from the General Fund of any amount or amounts not to exceed the amount of the unsold bonds that the committee has, by resolution, authorized to be sold, excluding any refunding bonds authorized pursuant to Section 54026, for purposes of this part, less any amount loaned pursuant to Section 54022 and not yet repaid and any amount withdrawn from the General Fund pursuant to this section and not yet returned to the General Fund. Any amounts withdrawn shall be deposited in the fund to be allocated in accordance with this part. Any moneys made available under this section shall be returned to the General Fund, plus the interest that the amounts would have earned in the Pooled Money Investment Account, from moneys received from the sale of bonds which would otherwise be deposited in that fund. 54026. The bonds may be refunded in accordance with Article 6 (commencing with Section 16780) of Chapter 4 of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code. Approval by the electors of this act shall constitute approval of any refunding bonds issued to refund bonds issued pursuant to this part, including any prior issued refunding bonds. Any bond refunded with the proceeds of a refunding bond as authorized by this section may be legally defeased to the extent permitted by law in the manner and to the extent set forth in the resolution, as amended from time to time, authorizing that refunded bond. 54028. Notwithstanding any provisions in the State General Obligation Bond Law, the maturity date of any bonds authorized by this part shall not be later than 35 years from the date of each such bond. The maturity of each series shall be calculated from the date of issuance of each bond. 54030. The Legislature hereby finds and declares that, inasmuch as the proceeds from the sale of bonds authorized by this part are not “proceeds of taxes” as that term is used in Article XIII B of the California Constitution, the disbursement of these proceeds is not subject to the limitations imposed by that article. 54032. Notwithstanding any provision of the State General Obligation Bond Law with regard to the proceeds from the sale of bonds authorized by this part that are subject to investment under Article 4 (commencing with Section 16470) of Chapter 3 of Part 2 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the Treasurer may maintain a separate account for investment earnings, may order the payment of those earnings to comply with any rebate requirement applicable under federal law, and may otherwise direct the use and investment of those proceeds so as to maintain the tax-exempt status of tax-exempt bonds and to obtain any other advantage under federal law on behalf of the funds of this state. 54034. All moneys derived from premiums and accrued interest on bonds sold pursuant to this part shall be transferred to the General Fund as a credit to expenditures for bond interest; provided, however, that amounts derived from premiums may be reserved and used to pay the costs of bond issuance prior to transfer to the General Fund. SEC. 4. Article 5z (commencing with Section 998.600) is added to Chapter 6 of Division 4 of the Military and Veterans Code, to read: Article 5z. The Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2018 998.600. Together with Part 16 (commencing with Section 54000) of Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code, this article shall be known and may be cited as the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2018. 998.601. (a) The State General Obligation Bond Law (Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 16720) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code), as amended from time to time, except as otherwise provided herein, is adopted for the purpose of the issuance, sale, and repayment of, and otherwise providing with respect to, the bonds authorized to be issued by this article, and the provisions of that law are included in this article as though set out in full in this article. All references in this article to “herein” refer both to this article and that law.
998.602. As used herein, the following terms have the following meanings:
998.603. For the purpose of creating a fund to provide farm and home aid for veterans in accordance with the Veterans’ Farm and Home Purchase Act of 1974 (Article 3.1 (commencing with Section 987.50)), and of all acts amendatory thereof and supplemental thereto, the committee may create a debt or debts, liability or liabilities, of the State of California, in the aggregate amount of not more than one billion dollars ($1,000,000,000), exclusive of refunding bonds, in the manner provided herein. 998.604. (a) All bonds authorized by this article, when duly sold and delivered as provided herein, constitute valid and legally binding general obligations of the State of California, and the full faith and credit of the State of California is hereby pledged for the punctual payment of both principal and interest thereof.
998.605. There is hereby appropriated from the General Fund, for purposes of this article, a sum of money that will equal both of the following:
998.606. For the purposes of this article, the Director of Finance may, by executive order, authorize the withdrawal from the General Fund of a sum of money not to exceed the amount of the unsold bonds which have been authorized by the committee to be sold pursuant to this article. Any sums withdrawn shall be deposited in the fund. All moneys made available under this section to the board shall be returned by the board to the General Fund, plus the interest that the amounts would have earned in the Pooled Money Investment Account, from the sale of bonds for the purpose of carrying out this article. 998.607. The board may request the Pooled Money Investment Board to make a loan from the Pooled Money Investment Account, in accordance with Section 16312 of the Government Code, for the purposes of carrying out this article. The amount of the request shall not exceed the amount of unsold bonds which the committee has, by resolution, authorized to be sold for the purpose of carrying out this article. The board shall execute whatever documents are required by the Pooled Money Investment Board to obtain and repay the loan. Any amounts loaned shall be deposited in the fund to be allocated by the board in accordance with this article. 998.608. Upon request of the board, supported by a statement of its plans and projects approved by the Governor, the committee shall determine whether to issue any bonds authorized under this article in order to carry out the board’s plans and projects, and, if so, the amount of bonds to be issued and sold. Successive issues of bonds may be authorized and sold to carry out these plans and projects progressively, and it is not necessary that all of the bonds be issued or sold at any one time. 998.609. (a) As long as any bonds authorized under this article are outstanding, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, at the close of each fiscal year, require a survey of the financial condition of the Division of Farm and Home Purchases, together with a projection of the division’s operations, to be made by an independent public accountant of recognized standing. The results of each survey and projection shall be reported in writing by the public accountant to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the California Veterans Board, the appropriate policy committees dealing with veterans affairs in the Senate and the Assembly, and the committee.
998.610. (a) The committee may authorize the Treasurer to sell all or any part of the bonds authorized by this article at the time or times established by the Treasurer.
998.611. Out of the first money realized from the sale of bonds as provided herein, there shall be redeposited in the General Obligation Bond Expense Revolving Fund, established by Section 16724.5 of the Government Code, the amount of all expenditures made for the purposes specified in that section, and this money may be used for the same purpose and repaid in the same manner whenever additional bond sales are made. 998.612. Any bonds issued and sold pursuant to this article may be refunded in accordance with Article 6 (commencing with Section 16780) of Chapter 4 of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code. The approval of the voters for the issuance of bonds under this article includes approval for the issuance of bonds issued to refund bonds originally issued or any previously issued refunding bonds. 998.613. Notwithstanding any provision of the bond act, if the Treasurer sells bonds under this article for which bond counsel has issued an opinion to the effect that the interest on the bonds is excludable from gross income for purposes of federal income tax, subject to any conditions which may be designated, the Treasurer may establish separate accounts for the investment of bond proceeds and for the earnings on those proceeds, and may use those proceeds or earnings to pay any rebate, penalty, or other payment required by federal law or take any other action with respect to the investment and use of bond proceeds required or permitted under federal law necessary to maintain the tax-exempt status of the bonds or to obtain any other advantage under federal law on behalf of the funds of this state. 998.614. The Legislature hereby finds and declares that, inasmuch as the proceeds from the sale of bonds authorized by this article are not “proceeds of taxes” as that term is used in Article XIII B of the California Constitution, the disbursement of these proceeds is not subject to the limitations imposed by Article XIII B. SEC. 5. Sections 3 and 4 of this act shall become operative upon the adoption by the voters of the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2018. SEC. 6. Sections 3 and 4 of this act shall be submitted by the Secretary of State to the voters as a single measure, the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2018, at the November 6, 2018, statewide general election. SEC. 7. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are: In order to maximize the time available for the analysis and preparation of the proposed issuance of bonds pursuant to Sections 3 and 4 of this act, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately. |
Readability score
- See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2018
| Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, Ballotpedia scored the readability of the ballot title and summary for this measure. Readability scores are designed to indicate the reading difficulty of text. The Flesch-Kincaid formulas account for the number of words, syllables, and sentences in a text; they do not account for the difficulty of the ideas in the text. The attorney general wrote the ballot language for this measure.
In 2018, for the 167 statewide measures on the ballot, the average ballot title or question was written at a level appropriate for those with between 19 and 20 years of U.S. formal education (graduate school-level of education), according to the FKGL formula. Read Ballotpedia's entire 2018 ballot language readability report here. |
Support
Affordable Housing Now, also known as Yes on Prop 1, led the campaign in support of Proposition 1.[5]
Supporters
Supporters
Officials
The following political officials endorsed Proposition 1:[6]
- Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D)
- U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-43)
- Sen. Toni Atkins (D-39)
- Sen. Bill Dodd (D-3)
- Sen. Jerry Hill (D-13)
- Sen. Bob Huff (R-29)
- Sen. Mike McGuire (D-2)
- Sen. Richard Roth (D-31)
- Sen. Scott Wiener (D-11)
- Sen. Scott Wilk (R-21)
- Asm. Anthony Rendon (D-63)
- Asm. David Chiu (D-17)
- Asm. Joaquin Arambula (D-31)
- Asm. Marc Berman (D-24)
- Asm. Rob Bonta (D-18)
- Asm. Ian Calderon (D-57)
- Asm. Ken Cooley (D-8)
- Asm. Jesse Gabriel (D-45)
- Asm. Todd Gloria (D-78)
- Asm. Chris Holden (D-41)
- Asm. Reginald Jones-Sawyer (D-59)
- Asm. Ash Kalra (D-27)
- Asm. Brian Maienschein (R-77)
- Asm. Kevin McCarty (D-7)
- Asm. Bill Quirk (D-20)
- Asm. Eloise Reyes (D-47)
- Asm. Miguel Santiago (D-53)
- Asm. Mark Stone (D-29)
- Asm. Phil Ting (D-19)
- Asm. Jim Wood (D-2)
- Mayor Eric Garcetti (D), Los Angeles
- Mayor Darrell Steinberg (D), Sacramento
Parties
The following political parties and affiliated organizations endorsed Proposition 1:[6]
- California Democratic Party
- Alameda County Democratic Party
- Bruin Democrats at UCLA
- Culver City Democratic Club
- Democratic Party of Orange County
- Democratic Party of Santa Barbara County
- Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley
- Democratic Women’s Study Club
- Desert Stonewall Democrats
- La Mesa Foothills Dem Club
- Los Angeles County Democratic Party
- Los Angeles County Young Democrats
- North Valley Democratic Club
- Peninsula Democratic Coalition
- Progressive Democrats of the Santa Monica Mountains
- Sacramento Democratic Party
- San Diego County Democratic Party
- San Fernando Valley Young Democrats
- San Francisco Democratic Party
- Santa Clara Democratic Party
- Santa Monica Democratic Club
- Silicon Valley Asian Pacific American Democratic Club
- Silicon Valley Working Blue Democratic Club
- YIMBY Democrats of San Diego County
Municipalities
The following local governments endorsed Proposition 1:[6]
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Organizations
The following organizations endorsed Proposition 1:[6]
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Labor
The following unions and labor organizations endorsed Proposition 1:[6]
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Arguments
- Sen. Jim Beall (D-15) said, "Prop. 1 gives help and hope to the many Californians who have been priced out of finding an affordable home in the communities they want to raise their families, work and thrive. Investing in Prop. 1 and affordable housing now makes good economic sense for all Californians and our communities."[7]
Official arguments
Gerald G. Wilson, former state commander of California Disabled American Veterans, Sharon Ellis, chair of Habitat for Humanity California, and Gary Passmore, president of the Congress of California Seniors, wrote the official argument found in the state voter information guide in support of Proposition 1:[3]
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Opposition
Arguments
Official arguments
Gary Wesley wrote the official argument found in the state voter information guide in opposition to Proposition 1:[3]
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Background
Housing legislative package
| Voting on Housing | |||
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| Ballot Measures | |||
| By state | |||
| By year | |||
| Not on ballot | |||
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Proposition 1, known as Senate Bill 3 in the California State Legislature, was part of a legislative package designed to increase housing production and lower housing costs. On August 29, 2017, Gov. Brown (D) and legislative leaders announced the legislative package following negotiations. The legislative package also included Senate Bill 2 and Senate Bill 35.[8]
The bills composing the legislative package were passed on September 14 and September 15, 2017.[1][9][10]
Asm. Anthony Rendon (D-63), Speaker of the Assembly, praised the bills, saying, "Today we took a step toward addressing a housing crisis that has been plaguing California for years. The package of bills we approved today addresses funding, project streamlining, stricter enforcement, and real accountability – all the affordable housing elements necessary to help more Californians pay the rent or buy a house."[11]
Senate Bill 2 enacted a fee, ranging between $75-$225, on certain real estate transactions, including mortgage refinancing, deeds, declarations of homestead, easements, and notices of trustee sale. The bill exempted the sale of homes and commercial properties from the fee. The Senate Appropriations Committee estimated that the fee would bring in between $200 to $300 million in revenue each year. Between January 1, 2018, and December 1, 2018, half of the revenue from the fee would be spent on addressing homelessness and half would be spent on providing funds to local governments to update planning and zoning ordinances to streamline housing production. After January 1, 2019, 20 percent of the fee revenue would be spent on affordable owner-occupied workforce housing; 70 percent would be spent on providing funds to local governments to develop rapid rehousing, rental assistance, navigation centers and construct or rehabilitate permanent and transitional rental housing; and 10 percent would be spent on providing funds to local jurisdictions that are nonentitlement areas for housing projects.[9]
Senate Bill 35 was designed to streamline the review process for multifamily housing projects in cities that have not met the state’s housing goals. The bill required developers who want to use the streamlined review process to provide prevailing wages to workers.[10] As of 2018, the state requires cities to approve a minimum number of housing units per year, but there was no mechanism to enforce the requirement or encourage compliance before Senate Bill 35.[12]
Bond issues on the ballot in California
- See also: Bond issues on the ballot
Voters of California cast ballots on 39 bond issues, totaling $154.829 billion in value, from January 1, 1993, through January 1, 2018. Voters approved 31 (79.49 percent) of the bond measures—a total of $143.409 billion. Six of the measures were citizen's initiatives; four of six were approved. Thirty-three of the measures were legislative referrals; 25 of 33 were approved. The most common purposes of bond measures during the 25 years between 1993 and 2018 were water infrastructure and public education, for which there were seven bond measures each. There were three bond measures related to housing between 1993 and 2018, for which two of three were approved.
Prior to the election on June 5, 2018, the most recent bond issue that citizens voted on was a $9 billion public education bond titled Proposition 51.
Click show to expand the bond revenue table.
| Year | Measure | Amount | Primary purpose | Origin | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Proposition 173 | $185 million | Housing | Legislature |  |
| 1994 | Proposition 180 | $2,000 million | Parks | Initiative | |
| 1994 | Proposition 181 | $1,000 million | Transportation | Legislature | |
| 1994 | Proposition 1A | $2,000 million | Disasters | Legislature | |
| 1994 | Proposition 1B | $1,000 million | K-12 Education | Legislature | |
| 1994 | Proposition 1C | $900 million | Higher Education | Legislature | |
| 1996 | Proposition 192 | $2,000 million | Disasters | Legislature | |
| 1996 | Proposition 203 | $3,000 million | K-12 Education | Legislature | |
| 1996 | Proposition 204 | $995 million | Environment; Water Infrastructure | Legislature | |
| 1996 | Proposition 205 | $700 million | Jails | Legislature | |
| 1996 | Proposition 206 | $400 million | Veterans; Housing | Legislature | |
| 1998 | Proposition 1A | $9,200 million | K-12 Education; Higher Education | Legislature | |
| 2000 | Proposition 12 | $2,100 million | Environment; Water Infrastructure | Legislature | |
| 2000 | Proposition 13 | $1,970 million | Water Infrastructure | Legislature | |
| 2000 | Proposition 14 | $350 million | Libraries | Legislature | |
| 2000 | Proposition 15 | $220 million | Crime Labs | Legislature | |
| 2000 | Proposition 16 | $50 million | Veterans; Housing | Legislature | |
| 2000 | Proposition 32 | $500 million | Veterans; Housing | Legislature | |
| 2002 | Proposition 40 | $2,600 million | Parks; Environment | Legislature | |
| 2002 | Proposition 41 | $200 million | Voting Systems | Legislature | |
| 2002 | Proposition 46 | $2,100 million | Housing | Legislature | |
| 2002 | Proposition 47 | $13,050 million | K-12 Education | Legislature | |
| 2002 | Proposition 50 | $3,440 million | Water Infrastructure | Initiative | |
| 2004 | Proposition 55 | $12,300 million | K-12 Education; Higher Education | Legislature | |
| 2004 | Proposition 57 | $15,000 million | Deficit | Legislature | |
| 2004 | Proposition 61 | $750 million | Hospitals | Initiative | |
| 2006 | Proposition 1B | $19,925 million | Transportation | Legislature | |
| 2006 | Proposition 1C | $2,850 million | Housing | Legislature | |
| 2006 | Proposition 1D | $10,416 million | K-12 Education; Higher Education | Legislature | |
| 2006 | Proposition 1E | $4,090 million | Water Infrastructure | Legislature | |
| 2006 | Proposition 81 | $600 million | Libraries | Legislature | |
| 2006 | Proposition 84 | $5,388 million | Water Infrastructure | Legislature | |
| 2008 | Proposition 10 | $5,000 million | Energy | Initiative | |
| 2008 | Proposition 12 | $900 million | Veterans; Housing | Legislature | |
| 2008 | Proposition 1A | $9,950 million | Transportation | Legislature | |
| 2008 | Proposition 32 | $980 million | Hospitals | Initiative | |
| 2014 | Proposition 1 | $7,120 million | Water Infrastructure | Legislature | |
| 2014 | Proposition 41 | $600 million | Veterans; Housing | Legislature | |
| 2016 | Proposition 51 | $9,000 million | K-12 Education; Higher Education | Initiative | |
Bond debt in California
As of December 1, 2017, California had $73.33 billion in debt from general obligation bonds. The state had $31.09 billion in unissued bonds, including $571.53 million for housing-related bonds.[13]
Budgets
The state budget for fiscal year 2017-2018, which was signed into law on June 27, 2017, included $183.3 billion in state funds. Most—$125.1 billion—came from the General Fund and less than two percent—$3.3 billion—came from bond funds. The 2017-2018 budget included $703.088 million for the state's Department of Housing and Community Development.[14]
On January 10, 2018, Gov. Brown (D) released a $190.3 billion budget plan for the state's fiscal year 2018-2019.[15] Around $2.5 billion of the proposed spending would be derived from bonds. The proposed 2018-2019 budget would include $1.2 billion for the state's Department of Housing and Community Development, a 70.2 percent increase from the prior budget.[16] The budget requires the approval of the California State Legislature, which votes on amendments and other changes to the budget.
Campaign finance
| Total campaign contributions: | |
| Support: | $7,239,732.07 |
| Opposition: | $0.00 |
There were three ballot measure committees registered in support of Proposition 1—Affordable Housing Now, California Homeless and Housing Coalition Action Fund, and A Home for Everyone. The support committees were registered to support Proposition 1 and Proposition 2. The committees reported $7.24 million in contributions and $7.28 million in expenditures.[17]
The Chan Zuckerberg Advocacy, a committee affiliated with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, provided the largest contribution—$300,000—to the support committees.[17] Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, and his spouse, Priscilla Chan, founded the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which, as of 2018, focused on supporting and investing in projects that promote biomedical research, personalized learning, housing, and criminal justice policies.[18]
There were no committees registered in opposition to Proposition 1.[17]
Support
The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committees in support of the initiative:[17]
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Donors
The following were the top five donors who contributed to the support committees:[17]
| Donor | Cash | In-kind | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chan Zuckerberg Advocacy | $300,000.00 | $0.00 | $300,000.00 |
| Chevron Policy Government & Public Affairs | $250,000.00 | $0.00 | $250,000.00 |
| KP Financial SVCS OPS | $250,000.00 | $0.00 | $250,000.00 |
| PG&E Corporation | $250,000.00 | $0.00 | $250,000.00 |
| California Apartment Association Issues Committee | $180,000.00 | $0.00 | $180,000.00 |
Reporting dates
In California, ballot measure committees filed a total of five campaign finance reports in 2018. The filing dates for reports were as follows:[19]
| Campaign finance reporting dates for November 2018 ballot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date | Report | Period |
| 1/31/2018 | Annual Report for 2017 | 1/01/2017 - 12/31/2017 |
| 4/30/2018 | Report #1 | 1/01/2018 - 3/31/2018 |
| 7/31/2018 | Report #2 | 4/01/2018 - 6/30/2018 |
| 9/27/2018 | Report #3 | 7/01/2018 - 9/22/2018 |
| 10/25/2018 | Report #4 | 9/23/2018 - 10/20/2018 |
| 1/31/2019 | Annual Report for 2018 | 10/21/2018 - 12/31/2018 |
Media editorials
Support
- Los Angeles Times: "As we’ve observed before, the state needs to build 3.5 million homes by 2025 to satisfy pent-up demand for housing and to stabilize prices. To even get close to that number would require a building boom unlike any California has seen since the 1960s. Proposition 1 is a necessary step, even if it’s not a sufficient one."[20]
- Marin Independent Journal: "This is a public investment in a statewide crisis that needs public funding to get affordable housing constructed."[21]
- San Francisco Chronicle: "It’s going to take more than dollars to solve California’s housing crisis. Regulations need to be streamlined, policies need to be realigned to steer development into areas that can accommodate higher density, and more communities need to be open to accepting growth. But make no mistake: Public investment needs to be part of the equation. ... It’s a statewide problem that demands statewide approaches — including public investment. Vote yes on Prop. 1."[22]
- The Desert Sun: "We believe the desert area would benefit greatly from this measure, which the Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates could result in the building of 30,000 new units for low-income families and 7,500 for farmworkers."[23]
- The Fresno Bee: "To solve the housing crisis, we need all of this and more. And while some taxpayers might understandably be concerned about the $170 million a year that the state will need to repay over the next 35 years, this is one debt that is worth it."[24]
- The Mercury News: "Prop. 1 can’t possibly solve the state’s housing crisis on its own. But it’s an essential piece of the puzzle, designed to work with Prop. 2, the mental health housing measure on the same ballot, and local and federal housing programs to offer critical funding for the state’s most needy residents. To help solve the state’s housing crisis, voters should back Prop. 1 on Nov. 6."[25]
- The Modesto Bee: "Since our elected officials can’t find the gumption to make CEQA rules more equitable, or insist that cities create more reasonable building-fee schedules, or encourage more infill, we should give Proposition 1 and Proposition 2 a shot. ... Proposition 1 could actually move the needle."[26]
- The Press Democrat: "Santa Rosa should be in good position to compete for a share of this funding if voters also approve Measure N to fund affording housing efforts here. And local veterans would qualify for reduced-interest loans to buy homes and farms under Cal-Vet, a program that pays for itself while rewarding those who volunteer to serve their country. Thumbs up."[27]
- The Sacramento Bee: "To solve the housing crisis, we need all of this and more. And while some taxpayers might understandably be concerned about the $170 million a year that the state will need to repay over the next 35 years, this is one debt that is worth it."[28]
- Bakersfield Californian endorsed Proposition 1, but did not provide an explanation.[29]
Opposition
- The Orange County Register/The Press-Enterprise/The San Luis Obispo Tribune: "If California’s leaders are serious about making California a more affordable place to live, they should concentrate their efforts on curtailing onerous regulations and restrictive land-use policies and making it easier for homebuilders to build. And if they insist on subsidizing housing, they should do so directly, rather than wasting taxpayer money on interest payments. Vote No on Prop. 1."[30][31][32]
- The San Diego Union-Tribune: "But “affordable housing” programs help only the relatively few lucky families that win lotteries allowing them to use the units. These programs do more to create an impression of government responding to housing problems than to actually addressing these problems. ... California must adopt solutions, not nostrums. Vote no on Proposition 1."[33]
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
| California Proposition 1 (2018) | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Support | Oppose | Undecided | Margin of error | Sample size | ||||||||||||||
| SurveyUSA 10/12/2018 - 10/14/2018 | 62.0% | 21.0% | 18.0% | +/-4.7 | 762 | ||||||||||||||
| Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org. | |||||||||||||||||||
Path to the ballot
- See also: Authorizing bonds in California
Section 1 of Article XVI of the California Constitution requires that bond issues of $300,000 or more be referred to voters for approval or rejection. The California State Legislature is required to pass bond acts by a two-thirds vote of all the members in both legislative chambers. The governor must also sign the bond act.
The bond act was introduced into the legislature as Senate Bill 3 (SB 3) on December 5, 2016. On June 1, 2017, the California Senate passed the bill 30 to 9 with one member not voting.[1] SB 3 was amended after negotiations between legislative leaders and Gov. Brown (D). Prior to the negotiations, SB 3 included $3 billion for housing funds and projects, but not the $1 billion for veterans' housing loans. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-63) said, "The bond agreement we have reached provides badly needed funding to help Californians, including our veterans, find safe, affordable housing."[34]
On September 14, 2017, the California State Assembly voted 56 to 21, with two members not voting, to pass SB 3. Democrats voted to pass the bill, and 21 of 25 Republicans voted against the bill. Asm. Catharine Baker (R-16) and Asm. Brian Maienschein (R-77) joined the chamber's 54 Democrats in voting to approve SB 3.[1]
On September 15, 2017, the California State Senate voted 30 to 8, with two members not voting, to give final passage of SB 3 as amended, concurring with the addition of the $1 billion for veterans' housing loans. Sen. Anthony Cannella (R-12), Sen. Scott Wilk (R-21), and Sen. Janet Nguyen (R-34) joined the chamber's 27 Democrats in voting in favor of SB 3. Two Republicans senators did not vote, and the remaining eight voted against the bill. This vote sent the bill to the governor's desk for his signature.[1] September 15 was the last day of the 2017 legislative session that the legislature was allowed to pass bills.
On September 29, 2017, Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signed the bill, certifying the measure for the ballot in 2018.[1]
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How to cast a vote
- See also: Voting in California
Poll times
All polls in California are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Pacific Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[35]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To vote in California, an individual must be a U.S. citizen and California resident. A voter must be at least 18 years of age on Election Day. Pre-registration is available at 16 years of age. Pre-registered voters are automatically registered to vote when they turn 18.[36]
Automatic registration
California automatically registers eligible individuals to vote when they complete a driver's license, identification (ID) card, or change of address transaction through the Department of Motor Vehicles. Learn more by visiting this website.
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
California has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
California allows same-day voter registration.
Californians must be registered to vote at least 15 days before Election Day. If the registration deadline has passed for an upcoming election, voters may visit a location designated by their county elections official during the 14 days prior to, and including Election Day to conditionally register to vote and vote a provisional ballot, which are counted once county election officials have completed the voter registration verification process. The state refers to this process as Same Day Voter Registration.[37][38]
Residency requirements
To register to vote in California, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.
Verification of citizenship
California's constitution requires that voters be U.S. citizens. When registering to vote, proof of citizenship is not required. Individuals who become U.S. citizens less than 15 days before an election must bring proof of citizenship to their county elections office to register to vote in that election. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.[37]
As of November 2024, two jurisdictions in California had authorized noncitizen residents to vote for local board of education positions through local ballot measures. Only one of those jurisdictions, San Francisco, had implemented that law. Noncitizens voting for board of education positions must register to vote using a separate application from the state voter registration application.[39]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[40] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The secretary of state's My Voter Status website allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements
California does not require voters to present identification before casting a ballot in most cases. However, some voters may be asked to show a form of identification when voting if they are voting for the first time after registering to vote by mail and did not provide a driver license number, California identification number, or the last four digits of their social security number.[41][42] On September 29, 2024, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed SB 1174 into law prohibiting any jurisdiction in the state from adopting a local law that requires voters to present ID before voting.[43]
The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2024. Click here for the California Secretary of State page to ensure you have the most current information.
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State profile
| Demographic data for California | ||
|---|---|---|
| California | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 38,993,940 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 155,779 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 61.8% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 5.9% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 13.7% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.4% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 4.5% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 38.4% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 81.8% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 31.4% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $61,818 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 18.2% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in California. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in California
California voted for the Democratic candidate in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
More California coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in California
- United States congressional delegations from California
- Public policy in California
- Endorsers in California
- California fact checks
- More...
See also
External links
Information
Support
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms California 2018 Housing Bond. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 California Legislature, "Senate Bill 3," accessed September 1, 2017
- ↑ California Treasurer, "California Bonds: 101," accessed January 15, 2018
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 California Secretary of State, "Official Voter Information Guide November 2018," accessed August 21, 2018
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Affordable Housing Now, "Homepage," accessed August 22, 2018
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Affordable Housing Now, "Homepage," accessed October 17, 2018
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Mercury News, "Facebook founder’s fund pledges $250,000 to back affordable housing ballot measure," July 9, 2018
- ↑ The Sacramento Bee, "Democratic leaders, Jerry Brown agree on package to spur housing," August 29, 2017
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 California Legislature, "Senate Bill 2," accessed October 5, 2017
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 California Legislature, "Senate Bill 35," accessed October 5, 2017
- ↑ The Mercury News, "California Legislature passes affordable housing bills," September 15, 2017
- ↑ The Mercury News, "As Jerry Brown signs affordable-housing bills, lawmakers promise to stay focused on the crisis," September 29, 2017
- ↑ California Treasurer, "Authorized and Outstanding General Obligation Bonds," December 1, 2017
- ↑ California 2017-2018 Budget, "2017-18 State Budget," accessed January 14, 2018
- ↑ The Sacramento Bee, "Brown’s final California budget stashes billions in reserve," January 10, 2018
- ↑ 2018-2019 California Budget, "2018-19 Governor's Budget," accessed January 14, 2017
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 Cal-Access, "Propositions & Ballot Measures," accessed October 25, 2017
- ↑ Silicon Valley Business Journal, "Mark Zuckerberg pledges $250,000 to fix California housing crisis his company helped create," July 10, 2018
- ↑ California Fair Political Practices Commission, "When to File Campaign Statements: State & Local Filing Schedules," accessed December 6, 2017
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "California desperately needs affordable housing. Prop 1 will help build it. Vote yes," October 9, 2018
- ↑ Marin Independent Journal, "Editorial: IJ’s recommendations on state propositions," October 17, 2018
- ↑ San Francisco Chronicle, "Chronicle recommends: Yes on California Prop. 1," September 14, 2018
- ↑ The Desert Sun, "Props 1,2,5,10: Housing-related measures need close scrutiny. Not all should pass," October 19, 2018
- ↑ The Fresno Bee, "Two propositions aim to ease affordable housing problem and are worth supporting," September 17, 2018
- ↑ The Mercury News, "Editorial: Why voters should OK $4 billion Prop. 1 housing measure," October 6, 2018
- ↑ The Modesto Bee, "Props 1 and 2 could help our housing crisis," October 6, 2018
- ↑ The Press Democrat, "Yes on Prop 1: Housing for California," October 3, 2018
- ↑ The Sacramento Bee, "The easiest way to get more housing? Vote yes on Propositions 1 and 2," September 17, 2018
- ↑ Bakersfield Californian, "Our View: We recommend: Fix our roads, deliver clean, abundant water," September 30, 2018
- ↑ The Press-Enterprise, "Proposition 1 is not the answer to our housing crisis. Vote no," September 18, 2018
- ↑ The San Luis Obispo Tribune, "Proposition 1 is not the answer to our housing crisis. Vote no," September 18, 2018
- ↑ The Orange County Register, "Proposition 1 is not the answer to our housing crisis. Vote no," September 18, 2018
- ↑ The San Diego Union-Tribune, "Proposition 1: Vote no on housing measure which costs too much, does too little," September 17, 2018
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "California lawmakers reach deal on affordable housing bond," August 28, 2017
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Section 3: Polling Place Hours," accessed August 12, 2024
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Voter Registration," accessed August 13, 2024
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 California Secretary of State, "Registering to Vote," accessed August 13, 2024
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Same Day Voter Registration (Conditional Voter Registration)," accessed August 13, 2024
- ↑ SF.gov, "Non-citizen voting rights in local Board of Education elections," accessed November 14, 2024
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "What to Bring to Your Polling Place," accessed August 12, 2024
- ↑ BARCLAYS OFFICIAL CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS, "Section 20107," accessed August 12, 2024
- ↑ Democracy Docket, "California Governor Signs Law to Ban Local Voter ID Requirements," September 30, 2024
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