Bay Area Voter Guide

Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Leah Simon-Weisberg
Tenants Together

The November 2016 election ballot is daunting, to say the least, but there are some real gems at the city and county levels that renters and those who want to fight against gentrification and displacement don't want to miss. We've put together a simple flyer to use when you vote. This year, when you vote, you can help keep tenants in their homes! 5 cities are going to the ballot to pass rent control, which would collectively protect at least 125,000 people from displacement. Other cities are tightening up their rent laws and counties hope to pass affordable housing measures to build the housing our communities need. Don't forget to vote!

 

For a more comprehensive guide on city, state, and local ballot measures check out the Bay Rising voter guide. Bay Rising is a regional alliance of community-led organizations working to address the crisis of inequality by strengthening the voice and the impact of low-income communities and communities of color in the civic and public policy arenas throughout the Bay Area and statewide. Many of the member orgs of Bay Rising are also member orgs and partners of Tenants Together.

 

San Francisco:

  • J YES - Funding for Homelessness and Transportation
  • M YES - Create Housing and Development Commission to Oversee City Affordable Housing
  • S YES - Reallocate Hotel Tax Revenue to Fund Arts & Family Homelessness Prevention Programs
  • W YES - Increase Luxury Real Estate Tax
  • P NO - Shift Affordable Housing Projects from Nonprofit to Private Developers
  • R NO - Police-enforced Gentrification of our Streets
  • O NO - Allow Corporations to Speed Up Office Development in Hunters Point
  • U NO - Make Affordable Housing Unaffordable
  • X YES - Preserve Space for Neighborhood Arts, Small Businesses and Community Services

 

Contra Costa:

  • L1 YES RICHMOND - Rent Control & Eviction Protections

 

Alameda County:

  • A1 YES COUNTYWIDE - Fund Affordable Housing in Alameda County
  • AA YES BERKELEY - Strengthen Rights of Tenants Facing Eviction
  • U1 YES BERKELEY - Raise Taxes on Big Landlords to Fund Affordable Housing!
  • DD NO BERKELEY - Landlords' Attempt to Undermine Measure U1
  • M1    YES      ALAMEDA City - Rent Control & Eviction Protections
  • L1 NO ALAMEDA - Landlords' Attempt to Weaken Tenants' Rights
  • JJ YES OAKLAND - Rent Control update

 

Santa Clara:

  • A YES Countywide - Affordable Housing Bond
  • V   YES    Mountain View - Rent Control & Eviction Protections
  • W No Mountain View - Weak Tenant Protections & No Limits on Rent Increases

 

San Mateo:

  • Q   YES    San Mateo - Rent Control & Eviction Protections
  • R   YES    Burlingame - Rent Control & Eviction Protections
  • J YES East Palo Alto - Amendments to Previous Renter Protection Measure 
  • O YES East Palo Alto - Business Tax on Landlords
  • P YES East Palo Alto - Sales Tax to Keep Measure O Revenue for Affordable Homes

Help build power for renters' rights: