CA DSA adopts ballot measure proposal

Editor’s Note: Point 2 below was removed from the California ballot by the author. It no longer applies to the campaign

On March 9, 2024, the California DSA State Council adopted a ballot measure slate proposal for three state-wide ballot measures centered on housing as the organization’s first state-wide Priority Campaign. Titled the Affordable, Rent-Controlled Housing (ARCH) Campaign, this proposal was developed following months of research by the CA DSA Ballot Measure Working Group whose membership included comrades from multiple DSA chapters in California. The ARCH Campaign includes the following state-wide ballot measures:

1. Prohibit State Limitations on Local Rent Control Initiative (2024)
   This ballot measure would overturn a 1995 California law called the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. Costa-Hawkins dramatically limits the scope of rent control laws in the state and has three main provisions: First, landlords cannot be prohibited from raising the rent of a unit to “market rate” once a tenant vacates. Second, rent control in CA must exempt condominium and single-family units. Third, rent control cannot apply to units built after 1995, or earlier if a city had already enacted rent control.

2. Remove Voter Approval Requirement for Public Low-Rent Housing Projects Amendment (2024)
   Article 34 is a part of the California state Constitution that requires voter approval to build public housing. This explicitly racist and anti-socialist provision was written by the California Association of Realtors, who argued that voters should be able to prevent the construction of housing, and by extension the influx of nonwhite residents who threatened their neighborhoods and property values. Article 34 passed with a very slim majority, but its impacts have been massive.

3. Lower Supermajority Requirement to 55% for Local Special Taxes to Fund Housing and Public Infrastructure Amendment (2024)
   The infrastructure “special tax threshold” refers to California laws that require taxes allocated for specific purposes to be passed by voters with a two-thirds margin. This ballot measure would reduce that threshold to 55% for affordable housing and infrastructure projects. 

It is no secret that the cost of housing in California is unaffordable, but we did not get here by accident. Our current reality is the result of decades of policy meant to strip the working class of wealth and redirect it towards the capitalist class. This November, California voters will have the opportunity to reverse some of these disastrous pieces of legislation at the ballot box.

Those interested in signing up can do so by submitting the CA DSA Ballot Measure Working Group Interest Form.

For local chapters that would like to get involved with this campaign, our campaign working group has created this sample resolution. Members in their local chapters can decide to submit this proposal in accordance with their local bylaws and endorsement processes.