California Housing Ballot Initiatives Continue Shifting Prior to November Election

As campaigns gear up for the November 3 elections, ballot measures have shifted.

Most notably, the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) board voted in mid-August to remove the Bay Area Affordable Housing Bond Measure from the ballot, a blow for many housers in that area. This bond measure could have potentially generated $20B for the production of new affordable housing and preservation efforts, creating a sustainable revenue stream of funding for housing production and preservation for years to come.

However, recent polling found that only 54% of voters were likely to vote in favor of the measure. The measure would have needed approval from at least 2/3rds of voters unless voters also approved Proposition 5 on the statewide ballot, which would have reduced that threshold to 55%.

Read more for details on other ballots to fund affordable housing and homelessness in California >



by Christina Mun

Chief Strategy Officer

LeSar Holdings, Inc.

2024 California Legislature Concludes its Session; Multiple Housing and Homelessness Bills Await Governor’s Signature

The 2024 California Legislative session concluded early on Sunday, September 1, 2024, following an unsuccessful attempt by the Governor to call a special session to pass a bill to combat gas spikes. Several potentially impactful housing and homelessness bills passed the legislature and are now awaiting the Governor’s signature.

The Governor has 12 days following enrollment and engrossing of each bill to sign, approve without signing, or veto a bill; if the Governor vetoes the bill, a two-thirds vote in each house is needed to override the veto, a difficult hurdle to overcome. Last year, the Governor vetoed around 15% of bills that landed on his desk.

Read more about housing and homelessness-related bills still in play and notable bills that died >



by Jacqueline Woo

California Legislative Analysis Manager

Global Policy Leadership Academy

Fifth Vienna Social Housing Field Study Inspires and Unites 50+ Multisectoral Delegates

In July, 55 delegates from the Bay Area, San Diego, Fresno, the Inland Empire, and Los Angeles attended the Global Policy Leadership Academy’s (GPLA) Summer 2024 Immersive Social Housing Field Study in Vienna, Austria, representing local and state agencies, elected officials, community-based organizations, developers, faith-based leaders, philanthropy, and transportation sectors.

Vienna’s housing model is world-renowned for its focus on high-quality housing, which provides choices at an affordable price to more than 60% of its population, differentiating Vienna from the US in its focus on housing the middle class as well as low-income residents. This year, Vienna was ranked the world’s most livable city for the third year in a row, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit. 

Delegates participated in a six-day program featuring a mix of lectures, panels, and walking tours. In addition to topics and activities featured in April, delegates discussed and shared ways Vienna and California tackle climate issues. 

Read more on delegates' key takeaways from Vienna >



by Anu Natarajan

Managing Director, Global Housing Practice

Global Policy Leadership Academy

La Semilla Community Resiliency Center Breaks Ground in San Ysidro

Casa Familiar's La Semilla Community Resiliency Center, an innovative first-of-its-kind project dedicated to environmental justice in San Ysidro, a San Diego neighborhood at the US-Mexican border, held its groundbreaking at the end of July.

The LeSar portfolio of firms supported La Semilla’s development by providing grant writing project management through the Greenlining the Block initiative, ultimately resulting in La Semilla being awarded an $8.4M Community Resilience Center award from the California Strategic Growth Council.

Read more for details on this innovative environmental justice project >

Photo credit: Casa Familiar



by Jacqueline Woo

California Legislative Analysis Manager

Global Policy Leadership Academy

Senate Housing Budget Released; Bipartisan Tax Package Fails

The busy and eventful run-up to the 2024 election has impacted work in Congress. Following the U.S. House’s June release of its draft spending bill for HUD programs for FY 25, the Senate released its proposal in late July; negotiations will likely continue past the November elections.

The Senate additionally failed to approve a bipartisan tax package that would have expanded the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC).

The Senate’s draft spending bill for FY 25 provides $78.2B for HUD’s affordable housing, homelessness, and community development programs, an increase of $8.2B, or more than 10%, over FY 24-enacted levels and $5B (6%) more than the overall funding level provided in the House’s FY 25 proposal.

Read more for details on the Senate Appropriations Committee's bipartisan agreement and proposed funding increases >



by Pamela Kestner

Chief of Staff

Global Policy Leadership Academy