2024 Election Hub

Affordable Housing Voter Guide

November 5th, 2024

On the Ballot

Candidate Questionnaires

Candidate Forums

Affordable housing is on the ballot this November!

East Bay Housing Organizations has endorsed statewide ballot measure, Proposition 5.

Here are THREE actions you can take now to support Prop 5:
1. Endorse Prop 5 as an individual and/or organization
2. Fill out our pledge card for ways to get involved
3. Sign up to help get out the vote (GOTV) at BART stations (12th Street in Oakland and Downtown Berkeley) and the Old Oakland Farmer’s Market! If you’d like to flyer at other East Bay BART stations or farmer’s markets, contact angelina@ebho.org for support.

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 know how important it is that community members are aware of where candidates stand on all the issues that impact our work in the housing justice movement. We sent candidates for the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, Oakland City Council, Berkeley Mayor, and Berkeley City Council a candidate questionnaire and have provided their answers below. We are also hosting a virtual series of online candidate forums with candidates from key races in Alameda County and Oakland.

Election Day 2024: Key Dates

Election Day is coming up soon on Tuesday, November 5th! Here are a few reminders and things to expect in the weeks leading up to Election Day:

  • Deadline to Register to Vote: Monday, October 21st. Submit online at bit.ly/ebhovote or have your paper registration postmarked via USPS on or before October 21st.
  • Keep an eye out for your ballot: starting Monday, October 7th. All active California registered voters should receive a vote-by-mail ballot for the November 5th General Election around this date. 
  • Track your ballot: Visit wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov to check the status of your vote-by-mail ballot after turning it in to ensure your vote gets counted.
  • Election Day: Tuesday, November 5th. Hand-delivered ballots must be to the polls or drop box by 8PM. We made it!

On the Ballot

Statewide

Proposition 5 — YES

Current law requires a 2/3 supermajority to pass bond measures funding affordable housing and infrastructure; this means a minority of 1/3 of voters can block funding for affordable housing in any given jurisdiction. Proposition 5 would change this threshold, requiring a 55% majority to pass affordable housing bond measures. Proposition 5 was placed on our ballot by ACA 1 (sponsored by Assemblymembers Aguiar-Curry, Berman, and Haney) which was later slightly modified by ACA 10 (Aguiar-Curry). EBHO Supported both ACA 1 and ACA 10.

Proposition 33 — YES

Proposition 33 is in response to the Costa-Hawkins Act of 1995. The Costa-Hawkins Act prohibits cities and counties from passing laws restricting rent on single-family homes, condos, newer residential rental units, and vacant units. 

Proposition 33 would restore local government’s ability to enact new or strengthen existing rent control measures by eliminating the State restrictions that were imposed by the Costa-Hawkins Act. Proposition 33 would also prohibit the State from taking future actions to limit rent control locally. The proposition itself does not make any changes to existing local rent control laws.

Proposition 34 — NO

Proposition 34 would restrict the spending of prescription drug revenues by certain health care providers.

While the proposition does not address housing issues on its face, it is widely understood that the measure targets only the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and its spending on housing policy campaigns. Prop 34 sets a dangerous example (that ballot measures are an appropriate avenue to carry out targeted political attack campaigns), and would have no real impact on the delivery of healthcare services to low-income Californians.

Read more about Prop 34 in the California Secretary of State’s voter guide.

Berkeley

Measure W — YES

Berkeley Measure W is an extension of the real estate transfer tax on properties valued at more than $1.5 million. The proceeds from the tax go to fund homeless services in the City of Berkeley. This tax was originally passed by Berkeley voters in 2018 and was known as Measure P.  EBHO endorsed Measure P and our endorsement was prominently featured in campaign literature.  

Measure W extends the tax, eliminating its 2029 sunset date, and is expected to bring in $2-4 million annually on an ongoing basis to fund homeless services.

Candidate Questionnaires

East Bay Housing Organizations is a 501(c)(3) organization and does not endorse candidates. We create and send questionnaires as an educational opportunity for our membership and broader communities to learn more about the candidates’ stances on affordable housing, homelessness, and tenant protections.

On September 5th, EBHO sent questionnaires to all candidates in the following races: Alameda County District 5 Supervisor, Contra Costa County District 5 Supervisor, Oakland City Council Districts 1, 3, 5, 7 and At-Large, and Berkeley Mayor and City Council Districts 2, 3, 5, and 6. All candidates running for the same office were sent the same questions, with a deadline of September 20th.

Unedited responses have been published below. If no response was received by September 20th, “Did not submit response” will be used and published.

Candidates are ordered alphabetically by last name.

Alameda County Board of Supervisors, District 5

Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, District 5

  • Mike Barbanica – Did not submit response
  • Shanelle Scales-Preston – Did not submit response

Oakland (click to expand)

Oakland City Council, At-Large

Oakland City Council, District 1

Oakland City Council, District 3

  • Baba Afolabi – Submitted after deadline
  • Carroll Fife – Did not submit response
  • Michelle Hailey – Did not submit response
  • Shan Hirsch – Did not submit response
  • Warren Logan
  • Meron Semedar – Did not submit response

Oakland City Council, District 5

Oakland City Council, District 7

Berkeley (click to expand)

Berkeley Mayor

Berkeley City Council, District 2

Berkeley City Council, District 3

Berkeley City Council, District 5

Berkeley City Council, District 6

  • Brent Blackaby – Did not submit response
  • Andy Katz – Submitted after deadline

Candidate Forums

During the month of October, we are excited to host the 2024 installment of our series of Candidate Forums on Houselessness, Housing, and Hunger. Tune in or watch the recordings of our two events as we ask candidates from key races in Alameda County and Oakland important questions about the role of government and elected officials in solving our communities most pressing issues.

The first forum took place via Zoom on October 3rd from 6 – 8PM with candidates for Alameda County Board of Supervisors District 5 and Oakland City Council District 3. The second will take place via Zoom on October 10th from 6 – 8PM with candidates for Oakland City Council Districts 5, 7, and At Large.

October 10th Forum RSVP

EBHO is a 501(c)(3) organization and does not endorse candidates. These forums serve as an educational opportunity for our membership and broader communities to learn more about the 2024 candidates. This series is hosted in partnership with the Alameda County Community Food Bank, Centro Legal de La Raza, League of Women Voters Oakland, and St. Mary’s Center.

Our friends at the League of Women Voters Diablo Valley are hosting their own series of Candidate Forums as well. Visit their playlist to view recordings regarding key races in Contra Costa County, including Contra Costa County’s Board of Supervisors District 5.