26 states and Washington, D.C. have processes for citizen-initiated ballot measures, greatly expanding the risk of politically popular yet damaging policies such as rent control taking hold. Throughout this election cycle, the National Apartment Association (NAA) has monitored ballot measures of interest to the rental housing industry. LHere are the most recent results.
*Please note that these results are based on the unofficial tallies available as of 10:00 AM EST on November 6, 2024. We will be sure to provide an update if there are any changes especially with some jurisdictions reporting mail-in ballots continuing to be counted.
California
Statewide:
- Proposition 33 proposed to eliminate the limited controls on local governments’ rent regulation authority which are guaranteed by the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. Costa-Hawkins prevents rent controls from being applied to condos, single-family homes and new construction built after 1995 (when the law was originally enacted) and allows housing providers to reset rental rates when residents move out of regulated housing, also known as vacancy decontrol.
- Outcome: Media outlets are widely reporting that Prop 33 failed. At the time of this writing, votes are still being counted.
- Proposition 34 proposed to require health care providers who meet specified criteria to spend 98% of revenues from federal discount prescription drug programs on direct patient care. This measure was intended to require Prop 33’s most prominent campaign funder to redirect revenues back to its core mission.
- Outcome: Media outlets are widely reporting that Prop 34 passed. At the time of this writing, votes are still being counted.
- Proposition 5 proposed to lower supermajority voting requirements for local jurisdictions to issue bonds for affordable housing and public infrastructure projects. Housing providers were particularly concerned with this proposal given its potential to increase property taxes and shift debt burdens to local taxpayers.
- Outcome: Media outlets are widely reporting that Prop 5 failed. At the time of this writing, votes are still being counted.
Localities:
- Albany, CA Measure R: proposed to establish a supplemental business license tax on residential rental businesses to fund rental assistance, code enforcement and legal support.
- Outcome: Vote Count: 1,882 No to 1,558 Yes; Did not pass.
- Berkeley, CA Measure BB: proposed to remove rent control and registration exemptions for certain units, limit the maximum annual rent increase to 5% and eliminate suspension of rent controls during high vacancy.
- Outcome: Vote Count: 9,356 Yes to 8,401 No: Passed.
- Berkeley, CA Measure CC: proposed to expand exemptions from rent control, increase the maximum limit of annual rent increases based upon inflation from 7% to 7.1% and allow residents and housing providers to agree to rent increases in exchange for services.
- Outcome: Vote Count: 10,807 No to 6,505 Yes: Did not pass.
- Fairfax, CA Measure I: proposed to amend Fairfax Code to repeal the Town's current Just Cause Eviction Ordinance and Rent Stabilization Ordinance to replace them with standards in the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019.
- Outcome: Vote Count: 1,357 Yes to 878 No. Passed.
- Larkspur, CA Measure K: proposed to prohibit rental increases that exceed 60% of the percentage increase in CPI or 3%, whichever is lower.
- Outcome: Vote Count: 2,612 No to 1,544 Yes. Did not pass.
- Los Angeles County CA Measure A: proposed to repeal Measure H and replace it with a sales tax of 0.5% with revenue going to support programs including affordable housing.
- Outcome: Media outlets are widely reporting that Measure A passed. At the time of this writing, votes are still being counted.
- Oroville, CA Measure N: proposed to allow the construction of 18 low-income housing units.
- Outcome: Vote Count: 2,481 Yes to 1,740 No; Passed.
- San Anselmo, CA Measure N: proposed to establish a prohibition on residential real property annual rental rate increases (applied only to triplexes and larger) that exceed 60% of the Consumer Price Index or 5%, whichever is lower and defining a base rent as the rent in effect on June 21, 2023.
- Outcome: Vote Count: 2,735 No to 1,424 Yes; Did not pass.
- San Anselmo, CA Measure O: proposed to provide renters facing no-fault evictions with longer relocation timelines, expanding minimum notice from 30 to 90 days; expands relocation payments; requires housing providers to provide a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 3 months' rent for shorter-notice evictions.
- Outcome: Vote Count: 2,904 No to 1,301 No; Did not pass.
- San Francisco, CA Proposition G: proposed to appropriate $8.25 million a year to pay for rental subsidies for affordable housing developments for extremely low-income seniors, families and people with disabilities.
- Outcome: Media outlets are widely reporting that Proposition G passed. At the time of this writing, votes are still being counted.
- Santa Ana, CA Measure CC: proposed to limit rent increases at the lesser of 3% or 80% of the change in the CPI, whichever is less; prohibit more than one rent increase in any 12-month period unless the property is exempt; and require written notice of just cause to terminate a tenancy.
- Outcome: Vote count: 25,554 Yes to 20,587 No; Passed.
Maryland
- City of Baltimore, MD Question A: proposed to authorize the borrowing of up to $20,000,000 to be used for the planning, developing, executing and making operative the Affordable Housing Program of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore.
- Outcome: Vote Count: 137,597 Yes to 23,135 No; Passed.
North Carolina
- Charlotte, NC Housing Bond Measure: proposed to authorize $100 million in bonds with revenue going to fund housing projects for low- to moderate-income households and requiring an estimated property tax levy of $1.30 per $100,000 in assessed value.
- Outcome: Vote Count: 260,278 Yes to 149,290 No; Passed.
North Dakota
- Measure 4: proposed to prohibit state and local governments from levying taxes on the assessed value of a home except for those designed to pay for bonded indebtedness.
- Outcome: Vote Count: 225,431 No to 129,767 Yes; Did not pass.
New Jersey
- Hoboken City Ballot Referendum proposed to housing providers an option to increase the rent upon a unit’s vacancy without any limitation to a market rent conditioned on the provider paying a $2,500 fee to the City of Hoboken, to be deposited in the City’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund. This retains existing rent stabilization rules.
- Outcome: 15,184 No to 5,679 Yes; Did not pass.
Rhode Island
- Question 3: proposed to issue $120 million in bonds to increase the availability of housing in the state.
- Outcome: Vote Count: 298,246 Yes to 157,015 No; Passed.
Washington
- Initiative 2066: proposed to prohibit state and local governments from restricting access to natural gas and prohibiting the state building code council from discouraging or penalizing the use of natural gas in any building.
- Outcome: Media outlets are widely reporting that initiative 2066 passed. At the time of this writing, votes are still being counted.