The San Francisco Housing Action Coalition has announced formal positions on three ballot measures ahead of the November 2019 San Francisco election.
Yes on Prop A
Prop A is a $600 million housing bond that will help deliver much needed subsidized affordable housing across San Francisco.
The funding from Proposition A arms the city with critical tools to take action constructing, fixing, preserving, and acquiring desperately needed affordable housing. Rebuilding San Francisco’s inequitably dilapidated public housing, creating new homes for seniors and breaking ground on long overdue low-income housing, and funding to facilitate project that can help our teachers and middle-income families stay in the city.
The measure does require a two-thirds approval but won’t raise taxes. Leveraged with federal tax credits, the new funds should allow 100% subsidized affordable housing projects to move forward across, since currently there is little to no funding available for the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development.
The yearly appearance of housing bonds on the ballot might make Prop A seem less than significant – but as the largest affordable housing bond in city history, the proposition and your vote to support it would be a far-reaching investment in San Francisco’s future and its values.
Vote Yes on Prop A.
Yes on Prop E
Prop E grew out of a compromise deal Mayor Breed struck with the Board of Supervisors after earlier disagreement threatened to place a duo of dueling ballot measures on November’s ballot. Features of both originally proposed ordinances would have made it easier to build 100% subsidized affordable and teacher housing…but we don’t see the compromise as having the substance of its precursors.
The measure updates existing law by expanding the definition of who gets to live in 100% subsidized affordable housing, and it will allow for some parcels in the city to be re-zoned for housing. While supporters boast about a proposed “240 re-zoned sites for 100% subsidized affordable housing”, our board isn’t convinced this measure will result in any significant construction. Many of the sites outlined-Presidio Terrace, for example-represent some of the most unbuildable and unfeasible sites for construction. So while SFHAC is officially supportive of the proposition, especially in light of the updates that Mayor Breed developed with the Board of Supervisors, we’ll continue to pay attention to its impact and come back with another measure if this effort proves toothless.
Vote Yes on Prop E.
No on Prop F
Masked as a transparency measure, Prop F directly attacks homebuilders and prevents SFHAC members from participating in the democratic process. The measure expands the criteria for individuals and organizations to be banned from contributing the $500 maximum allowed for races for the offices of mayor, supervisor, and city attorney.. There are also additional reporting and compliance requirements.
The broad language of the proposition would mean many San Franciscans from many professions -diverse voters and engaged neighbors- might find themselves blocked from supporting candidates whose values they identify with.
If the contributions of wealthy homeowners with personal financial incentives to prevent homebuilding in their neighborhoods have an appropriate place in San Francisco’s political discourse, so do those of the people, organizations, and professions on the ground trying to face the challenges of the housing crisis with real solutions. We firmly believe the San Francisco Board of Supervisors shouldn’t target private civically engaged citizens, especially in the midst of a housing shortage. The proposition’s constitutionality has been questioned and it will likely face legal challenges; clearly both its structure and repercussions haven’t been considered, and it should be rejected.
Vote No on Prop F.
We’re continuing to analyze legislation on the ballot for November and for 2020, and we’ll be back soon with a final recap of what made the cut when the governor signs the final bills of the year on October 13th.
