Affordable Housing Voter Guide
November 8, 2022
This November 2022, affordable housing is on the ballot.
East Bay Housing Organizations has endorsed six local ballot measures, three in Berkeley and three in Oakland, that are in line with our organizational goals.
As a 501(c)(3) organization, EBHO does not endorse candidates. But don’t worry — we’ve still got your back when it comes to educational resources! We sent candidates for the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, Oakland Mayor, Oakland City Council, Berkeley City Council, and San Leandro City Council a candidate questionnaire and have printed their answers below. We’ve also included links to a series of online forums on the content of your ballot.
Are you a member who lives outside of Berkeley, Oakland, or San Leandro? We’d love to know what issues you’re following. Reach out to EBHO’s Regional Policy Committee at jeff@ebho.org.
Endorsed Measures
Berkeley
Measure L – Infrastructure and Affordable Housing Bond – YES
$650 MM bond, which includes 200M for affordable housing, 300M for streets, sidewalks, and bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and 150M to other public infrastructure priorities, including improvements and enhancements to Berkeley’s waterfront, underground utilities, parks, pools, and public buildings.
Measure M – Vacancy Tax – YES
Taxes property owners who keep residential units vacant for more than six months in a year, $3000 for each non-exempt condo, duplex, single-family dwelling, or townhouse vacant in the first year, and $6000 for all other residential units. The tax respectively doubles to $6000 and $12,000 for subsequent years. Exempts owners of apartments with 4 or fewer units who live on their property, if that is their only property. This is estimated to affect about 700 homes in the City and raise between $3.9-5.9M in the first year.
Measure N – Article 34 Authorization – YES
This would allow Berkeley to develop, construct or acquire an additional 3,000 low-rent residential units to meet the City’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), without seeking separate voter approval. Article 34 of the State Constitution requires voters to approve the construction of any new units of publicly financed or owned affordable housing through a referendum.
Oakland
Measure Q – Article 34 Authorization – YES
This would allow Oakland to develop, construct or acquire an additional 13,000 low-rent residential units to meet the City’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), without seeking separate voter approval. Article 34 of the State Constitution requires voters to approve the construction of any new units of publicly financed or owned affordable housing through a referendum.
Measure U – Infrastructure and Affordable Housing Bond – YES
$850 MM bond which includes $350 MM for the construction and preservation of interim and permanent affordable housing, other funding for street improvements and paving, and the preservation or improvement of public resources such as libraries, parks, and recreation centers.
Measure V – Just Cause Expansion – YES
Extends further eviction provisions to cover tenants in RVs and tiny homes on wheels on private property, newly constructed rental units after the first 10 years they’re built, and families of school-age children or educators during the school years. Removes failure to extend (re-sign) a long-term lease as grounds for eviction, and allows tenants to rent on a periodic (month-to-month) basis.
Candidate Questionnaires
East Bay Housing Organizations is a 501(c)(3) organization and does not endorse candidates. We have created this questionnaire as an educational opportunity for our membership and broader communities to learn more about the candidates on the topics of houselessness, affordable housing, and hunger and food access. We have published their answers as submitted.
Candidates are ordered alphabetically by first name.
Alameda County Board of Supervisors, District 3
Oakland
Oakland Mayor
- Allyssa Victory Villanueva
- Ignacio De La Fuente – Did not submit response
- Gregory Hodge
- John Reiman
- Loren Taylor – Did not submit response
- Peter Y. Liu
- Seneca Scott – Did not submit response
- Sheng Thao – Submitted after deadline
- Treva Reid
- Tyron C. Jordan
Oakland City Council, District 2
- Harold Lowe – Did not submit response
- Nikki Fortunato Bas – Did not submit questionnaire, but shared her ACCE Questionnaire with us
Oakland City Council, District 4
- Janani Ramachandran
- Nenna Joiner – Did not submit response
Oakland City Council, District 6
- Kenneth Session – Submitted after deadline
- Kevin Jenkins – Did not submit response
- Nancy Sidebotham – Did not submit response
- Yakpasua Michael Gbagba Zazaboi – Did not submit response
San Leandro
San Leandro Mayor
- Bryan Azevedo – Did not submit response
- Christopher Bammer – Did not submit response
- Juan Gonzalez, III – Did not submit response
- Lee Thomas – Did not submit response
San Leandro City Council, District 1
- Celina Reynes
- Kenneth Pon – Did not submit questionnaire but shared this statement with us
- David L. Anderson, Sr. – Did not submit response
San Leandro City Council, District 5
- Monique Tate – Did not submit response
- Xouhoa Bowen – Did not submit response
Berkeley
Berkeley City Council, District 1
- Elisa Mikiten
- Rashi Kesarwani – Did not submit response
- Tamar Michai Freeman – Submitted after deadline
Berkeley City Council, District 8
- Jay Wu – Did not submit response
- Mari Mendonca
- Mark Humbert – Did not submit response
- Mary-lee Smith – Did not submit response
- Peter Bruce Dumont
Online Forums
Endorsed Ballot Measure Forum
The EBHO Policy Team discusses Berkeley measures L, M, and N and Oakland measures Q, U, and V and takes Q&A.
Oakland Mayoral Candidate Forum
EBHO Board Member Monique Berlanga talks to Oakland mayoral candidates about housing, homelessness, and hunger in this forum. Co-sponsored by East Bay Housing Organizations, St. Mary’s Oakland, League of Women Voters Oakland, and Centro Legal de la Raza.
Alameda County District 3 Supervisor Candidate Forum
EBHO Board Member Monique Berlanga talks to Oakland mayoral candidates about housing, homelessness, and hunger in this forum. Co-sponsored by East Bay Housing Organizations, St. Mary’s Oakland, League of Women Voters Oakland, and Centro Legal de la Raza.