Housing issues dominate November ballot
OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - Out of 11 statewide California propositions, four of them focus on providing housing, making it the most dominate issue on the November ballot.
Proposition 1, authorizes $4 billion in bonds for rental housing for low-income residents and down-payment assistance and home loans for veterans.
Opponents simply say the issue requires a far bigger solution that just throwing money at the problem of affordable housing.
A "Yes" on "Prop 2" vote authorizes the use of money that currently only intended treat people with mental illness to build housing for the mentally ill.
"In my opinion doing that approach means that you're taking treatment dollars away," said Gigi Crowder, L.E., an East Bay Mental Health Services advocate.
While some health care services advocates believe that the treatment must come before housing, supporters of the measure say the approach should be the other way around.
"What folks need to recover from their experience of homelessness, from mental illness and drug addiction is a home," said Gail Gilman, CEO of the non-profit, Community Housing Partnership.
Prop 5 is the Property Tax Transfer Initiative, which would allow homeowners 55 and older to move to more expensive homes while keeping their lower property tax bills from their old homes.
The California Association of Realtors says it would free up modestly-priced homes.
Opponents such as Assemblyman "David Chiu" says schools and local government would loss over $100 million a year because of the lower property tax.
Meantime, a "Yes" on Prop 10 gets rid of a law that restricts rent control statewide and in turn give local government to enact local rent control laws as a means to make housing more affordable.
Opponents, such as the California Apartment Association say, Prop 10 discourages investment in new housing.
San Francisco will decide Prop C, which aims to fund programs for the homeless population by taxing businesses earning more than $50-milllion a year or more, which is supported by Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff.
Opponents include Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Mayor London Breed, who worries an added tax could influence businesses to relocate.
San Jose voters will decide on "Measure V", which authorizes up to $450-million in bonds to fund housing construction for low-income residents.
But, the Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association is urging a "No" vote and says that less regulation is what's really needed.
Oakland voters will see "Measure W" a vacant property tax.
If approved, it would tax properties that are used fewer than 50-days per year.
City Council member Rebecca Kaplan, a supporter of Measure W says, there are more vacant properties than homeless and can raise millions for homeless services.
But the plan is opposed property owners who say it's an unfair tax.
A two-thirds supermajority vote is required for the approval of Measure W.