Sacramento has been designated California’s first “pro-housing” city. We achieved that designation by reducing fees for affordable housing, eliminating regulatory barriers and producing more affordable housing these last few years than ever before.
Sacramento has long been a place where people put down roots, build their families and invest in a better future. But even here — and throughout the rest of the region — ensuring that everyone has a quality, dignified, affordable place to live is not the reality, as housing costs soar and developments stall. Proposition 5, however, offers a critical opportunity to change that.
Our communities face an unprecedented housing crisis. Rents skyrocket, families are priced out of neighborhoods they’ve lived in for decades, first-time homeownership feels like an impossible dream and too many of our neighbors end up on the streets.
Opinion
Prop. 5 presents a solution by prioritizing affordable housing and strengthening the financial oversight of bond-funded developments, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent where most needed and can be tracked with transparency.
The proposition, which does not raise taxes, would tackle the region’s housing crisis head-on. By lowering the voter threshold to pass local housing bonds from an undemocratic two-thirds supermajority to 55%, the measure would give communities more say in building housing affordable to a range of Californians — whether low-income renters, first-time homebuyers or unhoused neighbors.
Prop. 5 will also make it easier for local governments to invest in housing solutions that meet the unique needs of their communities, including mixed-income developments, supportive housing for our most vulnerable populations and more affordable housing options for working families.
An important aspect of Prop. 5 is its commitment to strong financial oversight and public accountability: It includes strict oversight requirements to make sure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and directed where they can have the most impact.
The measure mandates that every dollar allocated for housing and infrastructure is tracked and publicly reported, with independent audits required to verify funds are spent appropriately. This ensures that the public has a clear understanding of how their money is being spent.
We’ve seen first-hand the struggles families face trying to stay afloat in an increasingly unaffordable housing market. But we have also seen the transformative power of affordable homes to stabilize families and neighborhoods, support economic growth and improve the quality of life for residents. The solution to homelessness is affordable homes, especially permanent supportive housing. Prop. 5 offers a chance to do just that.
It’s time we take action and prioritize the needs of our communities. Passing Prop. 5 can ensure increased access to affordable, safe, stable housing while restoring the public’s confidence in how every dollar is spent. With transparency, accountability and a clear plan to address the housing crisis, Prop. 5 is a smart investment.
Darrell Steinberg is mayor of Sacramento. Cathy Creswell is president of the board of the Sacramento Housing Alliance.