ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 21

VOTE YES ON PROPOSITION 21! KEEP FAMILIES IN THEIR HOMES, PRESERVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, STOP HOMELESSNESS, AND SAVE TAXPAYERS MONEY.

Where are people supposed to live in California? The housing crisis rages on as rising rents and stagnant wages leave many behind. The consequences are felt by everyone. Neighbors are forced from communities, renters face uncertainty, and the most vulnerable people end up on the streets. Small businesses are squeezed as renters spend less in their communities and workers face longer commutes.

Living paycheck to paycheck makes it difficult for teachers, grocery clerks, and nurses to afford housing in the communities they serve, while still having enough money for basics like groceries, gas, and childcare. And skyrocketing rents have led to over 150,000 homeless people living on the streets.

The crisis is only getting worse. The coronavirus pandemic has left millions of workers unemployed and at risk of losing their homes. According to a UCLA study, we are facing a surge in homelessness.

By tackling one of the root causes of the crisis, Prop. 21:

• SAVES TAXPAYERS MONEY

A 2017 study found that just a 5 percent increase in rent pushes 2,000 Los Angeles residents into homelessness. The burden of rising homelessness in California is paid for by taxpayers. The cost of homelessness, estimated at $35,000 to $45,000 annually per homeless person, is unsustainable. Prop. 21 ensures that fewer people lose their homes, saving taxpayers money.

• KEEPS FAMILIES IN THEIR HOMES

Prop. 21 will help children, parents, seniors, and essential workers stay in their homes. Right now, children are pushed out of their schools, parents are forced into long commutes, and seniors are faced with unaffordable rents. More and more people are being pushed out onto the streets. Proposition 21 provides reasonable and predictable rent increases for members of our community.

• BRINGS STABILITY TO SENIORS AND VETERANS

Seniors and veterans are struggling with devastatingly high rents, leaving little for food, medical care, and other necessities. Prop. 21 allows local communities to limit their rent increases and preserve affordable housing. It helps seniors and veterans stay in their homes.

• PROTECTS SINGLE-FAMILY HOMEOWNERS

Prop. 21 exempts single-family homeowners. If you are not in the rental home business, you will NOT be affected by Prop. 21.

• KEEPS HOUSING COSTS DOWN

Families, teachers, and nurses are struggling to find housing due to skyrocketing rents. Prop. 21 allows our communities to preserve affordable housing and encourages the construction of new homes. This will make housing affordable for all.

• GUARANTEES LANDLORDS A PROFIT

Prop. 21 GUARANTEES landlords a profit. It is fair to mom-and-pop landlords and renters alike.

YES on Prop. 21 is supported by a broad coalition of elected officials, labor unions, civic organizations, national social justice groups, local tenants unions, and legal aid organizations. Proposition 21 helps families, children, senior citizens, and veterans stay in their homes. Learn more at yeson21ca.org.

DOLORES HUERTA, President

The Dolores Huerta Foundation

KEVIN DE LEÓN, President pro Tempore Emeritus

California State Senate

CYNTHIA DAVIS, Chair of the Board of Directors

AIDS Healthcare Foundation

REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 21

PROP. 21 WILL MAKE THE HOUSING CRISIS WORSE

With millions of people out of work and struggling just to stay in their homes, the last thing we should do is repeal California's rental housing protections with no solution.

It's why civil rights leaders, affordable housing advocates, seniors, veterans and a broad coalition of business and labor organizations oppose Prop. 21.

"Prop. 21 encourages landlords to evict tenants, and would result in less rental housing supply, higher housing costs and more homelessness."—Alice Huffman, President, California State Conference of the NAACP

REASONS TO VOTE NO ON PROP. 21

Californians should reject this scheme that makes the housing crisis worse. Prop. 21: • Undermines the strongest statewide rent control law in the nation • Costs jobs and stops affordable housing construction • Takes away basic homeowner protections • Would reduce home values up to 20 percent • Offers no protections for seniors, veterans or the disabled. • Contains no provisions to reduce rents or stop homelessness • Allows unelected boards to impose extreme price controls • Reduces state and local funds by tens of millions of dollars annually for priorities like local schools and fire safety

PROP. 21 IS OPPOSED BY BIPARTISAN LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS

Opponents include: • California State Conference of the NAACP • California Council for Affordable Housing • Coalition of Small Rental Property Owners • American Legion, Department of California • California Chamber of Commerce • Women Veterans Alliance • Nearly 50 local unions • United Latinos Vote • California Taxpayers Association.

DEMAND REAL SOLUTIONS

Voters overwhelmingly rejected the same failed scheme two years ago. Vote NO on 21 and demand real solutions to our housing crisis, like putting people back to work by creating affordable and middle-class housing. Get the facts at NoOnProp21.vote

ALICE HUFFMAN, President

California State Conference of the NAACP

MARILYN MARKHAM, Board Member

California Senior Advocates League

ROBERT GUTIERREZ, President

California Taxpayers Association

ARGUMENT AGAINST PROPOSITION 21

PROP. 21 IS A DEEPLY FLAWED SCHEME THAT WILL INCREASE HOUSING COSTS AND HURT CALIFORNIA'S ECONOMIC RECOVERY

If Prop. 21 seems familiar, it’s because nearly 60% of California voters rejected the same flawed scheme in 2018.

Seniors, veterans and affordable housing experts all oppose Prop. 21 because it will make housing less available and less affordable at a time when millions of Californians are struggling to get back to work and keep a roof over their heads.

The California Council for Affordable Housing calls Prop. 21 a "flawed idea." Here's how Prop. 21 will make things worse: REPEALS HOUSING LAW WITH NO SOLUTION

Prop. 21 does nothing to address California's housing shortage. Instead, it undermines the strongest statewide rent control law in the nation signed by Gov. Newsom and enacted just last year with no plan to build affordable and middle-class housing or deal with the increasing problem of homelessness on our streets.

ELIMINATES HOMEOWNERS PROTECTIONS

Prop. 21 takes away basic protections for homeowners and allows regulators to tell single-family homeowners how much they can charge to rent out a single room. Millions of homeowners will be treated just like corporate landlords and subject to regulations and price controls enacted by unelected boards.

REDUCES HOME VALUES UP TO 20%

Non-partisan researchers at MIT estimate extreme rent control measures like this result in an average reduction in home values up to 20%. That's up to $115,000 in lost value for the average homeowner. Californians can't afford to take another hit with the economic collapse threatening their home values and life savings.

OFFERS NO PROTECTIONS FOR SENIORS, VETERANS OR THE DISABLED

Prop 21 has no protections for seniors, veterans or the disabled, and it has no provision to reduce rents. Veterans, seniors, social justice organizations and the American Legion, Dept. of California, agree it's the last thing we need right now.

ALLOWS EXTREME REGULATIONS

Prop. 21 allows local governments to establish extreme and permanent regulations on nearly all aspects of housing. For example, even after a tenant moves out, property owners won't be able to establish rents at market rates or pay for investments in repairs or upgrades. It simply goes too far.

MAKES THE HOUSING CRISIS WORSE

Californians are experiencing a severe housing affordability crisis in the most devastating economic and public health emergency of our lifetimes. The last thing we should do is pass an initiative that will stop new housing from being built, cost jobs, and hurt the economic recovery.

OPPOSED BY A BROAD BIPARTISAN COALITION

Democrats and Republicans agree Prop. 21 will make the crisis worse. Opponents include: California Council for Affordable Housing • Disabled American Veterans, Dept. of California • California Housing Consortium • Vietnam Veterans of America, California State Council • California Chamber of Commerce

DEMAND REAL SOLUTIONS

We should vote "NO" on Prop. 21 and demand real solutions.

VOTE NO ON PROPOSITION 21

Learn more at NoOnProp21.vote

EDWARD J. GRIMSLEY, State Commander

American Legion, Dept. of California

LORRAINE J. PLASS, 3rd Vice Commander

AMVETS, Dept. of California

PATRICK SABELHAUS, Executive Director

California Council for Affordable Housing

REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT AGAINST
PROPOSITION 21

PROP. 21—THE CHANGE WE NEED TO TACKLE HOMELESSNESS

A YES Vote on Proposition 21 is a vote to keep families together. A strong coalition of elected leaders; affordable housing providers; and senior, veteran, and homeless advocates agree that Proposition 21 will help keep families in their homes. Prop. 21:

• Protects millions of seniors, veterans, and working families • Saves taxpayers money by preventing homelessness • Preserves affordable housing • Protects single-family homeowners

• Protects millions of seniors, veterans, and working families • Saves taxpayers money by preventing homelessness • Preserves affordable housing • Protects single-family homeowners

“Proposition 21 helps seniors stay in their homes. It protects them from becoming homeless and lets them live their lives in dignity, near family and friends.”—Ernie Powell, Social Security Works California

"Prop. 21 gives our communities additional tools to keep vulnerable families in their homes. Proposition 21 will help seniors, veterans and workers."—Ben Allen, California State Senator

"More veterans become homeless every year due to the high cost of housing. Proposition 21 will help keep veterans from becoming homeless."—Jillynn Molina-Williams, Veterans Caucus Chair of the California Democratic Party

"The single most important thing you can do to help nurses, teachers, firefighters, grocery workers and hotel workers stay in their homes is to VOTE YES ON PROPOSITION 21." —Ada Briceño, Co-President, UNITE HERE Local 11

"Homelessness costs the state billions of dollars. This cost is passed down to taxpayers. Prop. 21 saves taxpayers money by keeping families in their homes."—Jamie Court, President, Consumer Watchdog

CALIFORNIA NEEDS PROP. 21

Vote YES on Proposition 21 to keep families in their homes!

Learn more at Yeson21ca.org.

DAVID CAMPOS, Chair

San Francisco Democratic Party

ERNIE POWELL

Social Security Works

JAMIE COURT, President

Consumer Watchdog