California’s housing shortage is not just a humanitarian crisis, it is a national political crisis threatening to undermine the future of the American Republic.
If current population trends continue, California is on track to lose four house seats and the same number of presidential electors by 2030, while Texas and Florida could gain four each. A plurality of residents leaving the state directly cite high housing costs. Local leaders should treat new housing at all levels of affordability as not only a social strategy to meet local needs, but also a political strategy to promote California’s commitment to equity and justice nationally.
Fortunately, San Mateo County’s electorate largely voted for housing this November! Measure T in San Mateo, which will increase allowable heights and densities near businesses and transit, passed by 58.7% at the time of this writing. Measure JJ in East Palo Alto, requiring certain tax revenues be set aside for housing funding, passed by a resounding supermajority. Across the County, voters supported measures to fund housing and essential infrastructure.
Statewide ballot measures were more conflicted. Though ballots are still being counted, Prop 5 looks likely to fall short of a majority. We are grateful to all the community organizations and residents of San Mateo County who supported lowering the barrier to essential funding for affordable homes.
Furthermore, Prop 33, which would have allowed unrestricted rent control, failed by a nearly 20-point margin. Prop 33’s failure illustrates the need to broaden the housing coalition and focus on legislation that is actually feasible to pass.
Nonetheless, San Mateo County’s local housing movement continues to grow. We were encouraged by all the federal, state, regional, and local candidates who won with pro-housing platforms, from Kevin Mullin to Lisa Gauthier to Mark Nagales and dozens of other housing champions—more than we can name. And we are grateful to electeds like Harvey Rahrback in Half Moon Bay and Davina Hurt in Belmont who led on housing in their communities. Regardless of the national election, local electeds in San Mateo County continue to lead the way on promoting housing and protecting democracy.
Now more than ever, we need leaders who will support new homes in San Mateo County. Our area can only be a safe haven—for immigrants, for LGTBQ youth, for young women, for every group at risk of oppression—if we have places for new people to live. We are fortunate to have so many present and future leaders stepping up to lead our communities.