Housing

MTC, ABAG endorse amendment to boost housing

Housing
Credit
Karl Nielsen

MTC Commissioners and the ABAG Executive Board have voted to endorse Assembly Constitutional Amendment 14, which would dedicate 5% from the state’s General Fund each year over a 10-year period to address California’s affordable housing and homelessness crisis.

The amendment, dubbed the Housing Opportunities for Everyone (HOPE) Act, is being proposed by Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, chair of the Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development.

Based on 2022 budget revenues of $200 billion, the investment from the general fund would be approximately $10 billion each year to combat the affordable housing and homelessness crises.

Funds would be reserved for: Housing and services to prevent homelessness; development, acquisition, rehabilitation, and preservation of rental housing for extremely low, very low, and low-income households; and affordable home ownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income households.

Wicks’ office estimates that ACA 14 would house at least 50,000 people who are homeless and build an additional 40,000 affordable housing units each year.

The amendment requires a two-thirds majority vote in both houses in Sacramento. Voters then would have to OK a ballot measure in November.

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