The bipartisan California Big City Mayors coalition along with state lawmakers Wednesday at urged voters to approve Proposition 1, the Veteran and Housing Assistance Programs Bond Measure, in the November election.
The coalition voted unanimously to support the $11.25 million that aims to expand affordable housing solutions, reduce homelessness and expand existing local projects to support communities’ housing goals.
“California Big City Mayors are urging voters to vote ‘yes’ on Proposition 1,” coalition Chair and Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said in a statement. “Prop 1 represents a pivotal opportunity to expand the supply of affordable housing, support first-time homebuyers, and invest in communities across California. California’s housing crisis requires bold, sustained action, and Prop 1 is an important step toward making housing more attainable for working families across our state.”
Mayors are on the front lines of addressing the statewide housing shortage and homelessness crisis, where they said residents are calling for immediate action. To get people off the streets, cities are accelerating housing construction while also expanding shelter and supportive housing.
According to the coalition, Proposition 1 presents a unique opportunity for voters to take action to expand affordable housing opportunities through bond funding for programs that build and preserve affordable rental homes, expand homeownership assistance for low- and moderate-income homebuyers and provide permanent housing for people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness.
The funding breaks down as follows:
- “$7.2 billion to acquire, build or renovate rental housing through low-interest loans;
- “$1.1 billion for homeownership loan programs and housing development for low- and moderate-income households;
- “$1.25 billion for home loan assistance to veterans;
- “$500 million for infrastructure projects;
- ‘$450 million for loans or grants for farmworker housing;
- “$350 million for student housing split between the University of California and California State University;
- “$200 million for grants to tribes for housing projects;” and
- “$200 million for local governments developing pilot projects to reduce housing costs,” the coalition reported.
Using these funds, Proposition 1 has the potential to enable the addition of 40,000 new affordable homes, preserve more than 5,500 existing affordable residences, create over 53,000 construction jobs and generate $1.3 billion in state and local tax revenue, officials said.
The Big City Mayors are from the state’s 13 largest cities, and support for the ballot measure follows the coalition’s successful calls to increase funding through the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention and comes as voters get ready to go to the polls for the consequential 2026 gubernatorial and congressional midterm elections.
Coalition members released statements about proposition:
“I have not generally supported statewide bond measures, but I recognize the urgency and scale of the housing and homelessness crisis facing California,” Big City Mayors Vice Chair and Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer said. “These are extraordinary challenges that demand meaningful and sustained action. In Fresno, we have seen firsthand the real impact these investments can have and the difference they make in people’s lives. This Housing Bond will allow us to build on that progress, expand the supply of housing, and ensure more Fresno residents have the opportunity to live in a safe, stable, and affordable home.”
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson: “Stable, affordable housing gives families the foundation to thrive and allows workers and families to stay in the communities they call home. Proposition 1 gives cities like Long Beach the resources to build and preserve affordable homes, expand homeownership, and create more permanent housing for people experiencing homelessness. If we want more families to have a real shot at staying in their communities, we have to work and build together.”
Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken: “Expanding the transformative power of homeownership is at the heart of Proposition 1. We will see more than $2 billion go to help our veterans, working families and first-time buyers get into homes of their own, with all the benefits that brings to people and neighborhoods. This is one of the most effective ways to address homelessness long term and a compelling reason to support Proposition 1.”
Irvine Mayor Larry Agran: “California needs to implement common-sense housing policies that tangibly help residents now. Prop 1 is our path to getting there with strict accountability and no new taxes. This measure will give cities the tools to invest in sustainable, affordable solutions that we know can reduce and prevent homelessness.”
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria: “California’s housing affordability crisis demands action at every level of government, and that means pairing bold reforms to build homes faster with the resources necessary to actually get them built. Proposition 1 will help communities like San Diego turn approved projects into homes, preserve affordable housing, expand opportunities for homeownership, and help veterans and working families afford to stay in the communities they call home.”
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan: “It’s too expensive to live in California and it will continue to be too expensive to live in California unless we take bold action now — both by building more housing and reducing barriers to getting shovels in the ground. This bond measure, coupled with Prop 45, which streamlines CEQA reviews, will keep Californians in California by making it more affordable to call this state home.”
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie: “We want San Francisco to be welcoming to families, but with rents going up, it’s getting harder for families to put down roots in our city. We are making the reforms and investments in our power to build more homes: We sped up permitting, reduced fees, passed the Family Zoning Plan, and proposed a significant investment in affordable housing. But we can only meet our housing goals with statewide resources, and I’m grateful to the Big City Mayors and our partners for coming together to support this critical measure.”
Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty: “Sacramento has demonstrated that by focusing on smart, effective solutions, we can get people off the streets and into shelter. The next step is building more affordable housing for people to graduate into. Cities cannot do this alone. With $11.25 billion in funding for affordable housing and homeownership programs, this State partnership with Prop 1 makes that next step possible.”
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee: “Oakland has proof that housing investments work — since 2018, we’ve completed 17,000 new homes, including 3,000 affordable units, with 2,300 units of affordable and homeless housing built in the last five years alone. Right now, 1,200 more units are under construction, with 580 of them designated as exits from homelessness. That is what real, sustained investment in housing can deliver — and it’s exactly what Proposition 1 will help us finish.”
Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi: “California’s housing crisis varies from one city to another, but in Stockton, we encounter the same core issue daily: working families are doing everything they can, yet homeownership or even securing stable rent is becoming more and more unattainable. Proposition 1 allows cities to move from planning to action, building affordable homes, opening up opportunities for ownership, creating jobs, and providing communities like Stockton with the means to grow while ensuring working families are not left behind. If California truly intends to address its housing crisis, we must invest in the communities where the next generation of Californians can realistically hope to build their future.”
The state’s Department of Health Care Services website provides more information on the measure, dhcs.ca.gov/behavioral-health-transformation/proposition-1-an-overview.
