2016 US ballot measures - Los Angeles and San Diego counties (California)

Yimby-related measures on the ballot for the November 8, 2016 election.

Los Angeles County

Santa Monica - Measure LV - Direct Voter Approval of New Developments

Shall the City's General Plan and Municipal Code be amended to require: a new permit process for major development projects exceeding base sizes or heights of 32-36 feet, with exceptions such as single unit dwellings and some affordable housing projects; voter approval of major development projects and development agreements, excluding affordable housing and moderate income and senior housing projects, among others; and voter approval of changes to City land use and planning policy documents? 

"This would be a dramatic change. Right now, buildings that are taller than 32 feet, the maximum height allowed in Santa Monica, are reviewed by the City Council or Planning Commission.

Under Measure LV, voters would cast their votes during general elections or in special elections. The new approval process would also apply to projects negotiated via development agreements. These are contracts between the city and the developers, allowing the developers to build bigger than what zoning codes allow (not just for height) in exchange for "community benefits," which can by anything for money to build parks to agreeing to hire local workers.

An example of the type of project that would have to be voted on is the Plaza at Santa Monica, a big multi use project proposed for Downtown at Arizona Avenue between 4th and 5th streets that would top out at 148 feet.

Some new construction would be exempt: Single family homes; senior housing; and housing projects with fewer than 50 units, 100 percent of which would be rented below market rate to tenants with low incomes."

Source: Curbed Los Angeles

Santa Monica - Measure GSH - Transactions and Use Tax 

To maintain and improve Santa Monica community services including support for preservation of affordable housing, reducing homelessness, school repair and improvement, education of Santa Monica children and students, and other general fund services, shall an ordinance be adopted to enact a Santa Monica one-half percent Santa Monica's transactions and use tax, subject to independent annual audits, all funds used locally, no money going to Sacramento, raising approximately $16 million annually, until ended by the voters?

Los Angeles - Measure HHH Homelessness Reduction and Prevention, Housing and Facilities Bond

"The proposal asks voters to approve a $1.2-billion general obligation bond, basically a type of loan, to finance the construction of supportive and affordable housing for homeless people in the city of Los Angeles. Supportive housing refers to a type of housing that also includes on-site services, such as case managers and physical and mental health care.

The bond would be paid for by property taxes. The cost has been estimated to be about $9.64 a year for every $100,000 in property owned, or about $33 a year for the average homeowner for 29 years.

The city plans to use the money to help finance 10,000 units of permanent supportive housing over the next 10 years. The city will buy the land for the projects, lease it to developers long-term, and finance part of the building costs."

Source: Curbed Los Angeles

Result: YES 76.08% No 23.92%

Los Angeles - Measure JJJ: "Build A Better LA"

"Measure JJJ would require developers to add affordable units to new residential buildings and would also require developers to hire local construction workers. The requirements would apply to all residential projects with 10 or more units needing special approval from the city because they’re bigger than what zoning codes allow.

Perhaps just as importantly, the measure is seen as a counter to a March ballot measure that would place a two-year moratorium on most major development in the city of Los Angeles.

In exchange for getting their projects built, developers would have to rent 20 percent of all units in condo buildings at rates that are affordable to low-income households. In rental projects, developers would have to allot 11 to 25 percent of the units to affordable housing. (The percentage required varies depending on whether the units are for extremely low, very low, or low income tenants, and whether the project allows for a residential use in an area where that use was not previously allowed.)

JJJ would also require that these projects be built by licensed contractors, 30 percent of whom are Los Angeles residents and at least 10 percent of whom are "transitional workers," meaning they’re single parents, veterans, on public assistance, or chronically unemployed. They’d also have to live within a five-mile radius of the project. These workers would have to be paid the "prevailing wage" in the area, an average of area wages based on a formula created by the state government.

Developers who don’t want to include affordable units in their new projects would have the option to pay an "in lieu" fee straight to the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund or build affordable units off-site (they’d have to build more units the farther away from the project site they go)."

Source: Curbed Los Angeles

Results: YES 63.95% No 36.05%

County-wide - Measure M Sales Tax Hike to Fund Transit Projects

"Measure M would hike the sales tax in Los Angeles County by a half cent to pay for some major public transit projects, including extending light rail to LAX and bringing the subway to Westwood. Revenue would also fund street and sidewalk repairs throughout the county, new bike paths, and earthquake retrofits for bridges.

Measure M would be a continuation of an earlier half-cent sales tax passed in 2008, which would otherwise expire in 2039. The Measure M sales tax would continue until voters decide to end it.

Metro estimates the sales tax will bring in $860 million yearly in revenue. That money would be used to fund planned transit projects into the year 2062."

Source: Curbed Los Angeles

County-wide - Measure A: Safe, Clean Neighborhood Parks, Open Space, Beaches, Rivers Protection, and Water Conservation

"Measure A would institute a 1.5 cent per square foot parcel tax to help pay to build new parks and maintain existing ones across Los Angeles County. The passage of this measure would net the county about $94.5 million yearly. Like the sales tax hike proposed by Measure M, this tax would not have an expiration date."

Source: Curbed Los Angeles

San Diego County

Measure M: San Diego Increase in Affordable Housing

AFFORDABLE HOUSING: INCREASING THE LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF UNITS THE CITY AND CERTAIN PUBLIC AGENCIES ARE ALLOWED TO HELP DEVELOP.

Shall the voters increase by 38,680 the maximum number of housing units the City and certain other public agencies are allowed to help develop, construct, or acquire for people with low incomes, without this ballot measure approving specific housing units, providing funds for development, removing requirements that otherwise apply, or taking any other action?

Measure R: Del Mar Voter Approval of Commercial Development Initiative

Shall the ordinance which proposes to amend the Del Mar Community Plan, Housing Element, and Municipal Code to require voter approval for certain development projects be adopted?

Measure T: Encinitas Compliance with State Housing Law

Shall City Council Resolution No. 2016-52 and Ordinance No. 2016-04, which collectively update the City’s General Plan Housing Element, amend related General Plan provisions, and amend Specific Plans, Zoning Code, Zoning Map, Municipal Code, and Local Coastal Program, in an effort to comply with State law, incentivize greater housing affordability, implement rules to protect the character of existing neighborhoods, maintain local control of Encinitas zoning, and resolve existing lawsuits, be adopted?

See also

• 2016 US Bay area housing ballot measures (California)
• 2016 US transportation ballot measures
• 2016 US ballot measures - Rhode Island