Poll Reveals Strong Support for Affordable Housing Bond
A new poll shows strong voter support for a $6-9 billion statewide affordable housing bond in 2018. The poll, conducted by JMM Research, found that the electorate is attuned to the state’s housing problems, with 60 percent of likely November 2018 voters supporting a $6 billion to $9 billion statewide affordable housing bond.
Earlier this month, Governor Brown and legislative leaders committed to begin tackling the growing housing gap with a housing package that would include a permanent source of state investment in affordable homes; a bond measure to provide a significant, short-term jumpstart to get affordable homebuilding underway; and reforms to speed approval and construction of affordable developments. The poll shows voters are ready and willing to pass a housing bond two to three times the amount currently under consideration by the legislature.
State Treasurer John Chiang commented, “When one-fifth of the nation’s homeless reside in our state and most working Californians can no longer even hope to live in the communities in which they work or were once raised, we must think big and act boldly in correctly sizing our public investment.”
The completed poll was commissioned as part of the groundwork laid by Treasurer Chiang and a coalition of affordable housing advocates, including SDHF, to place a large affordable housing bond initiative on the November 2018 ballot should state policymakers fail to act.
Read key findings of the poll results here .
Action Items:
1) Tweet
Use the following sample tweets to spread the word about the poll results:
New statewide poll shows strong voter support for $6-9 Billion affordable housing bond 3X what’s now under consideration in #CAleg #thinkbig
Voters are thinking big – time for @jerrybrowngov & #CALeg to follow! New poll found CA voters strongly support $6B-9B affordable housing bond.
2) Contact your legislator to say you support:
- a permanent source of state investment in affordable homes (SB 2);
- a statewide housing bond that matches the amount supported by polling ($6-9 billion);
- restoring local discretion in designing inclusionary housing programs (AB 1505).
Find your state representatives here .
Thank you for making the time to take action. Together, our voices are louder.
Sincerely,
Chair | Habitat for Humanity California Legislative Committee
President/CEO | San Diego Habitat for Humanity