A motorcycle officer weaves through traffic on a Los Angeles freeway during the evening rush hour on April 12, 2023 in Los Angeles.
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Frederic J. Brown
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AFP via Getty Images
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Topline:
Starting Jan. 1, car buyers who purchase a faulty vehicle will have to navigate a new version of California’s “lemon law” that for five decades has given consumers the right to demand car companies fix or replace defective vehicles they sell.
New version brings confusion: The confusion stems from a law Gov. Gavin Newsom reluctantly signed in late September that adds new timetables and rules for consumers seeking reimbursement or a replacement for a defective vehicle. Adding to the confusion, the California Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that the state’s lemon law doesn’t require manufacturers to honor a car’s warranty when it’s re-sold as a used vehicle, even if it's within the car's warranty timeframe.
Lemon law cases in the courts: The number of such cases in California courts climbed from nearly 15,000 in 2022 to more than 22,000 last year. In Los Angeles County, nearly 10% of all civil filings are now lemon law cases.
The year 2025 is shaping up to be a confusing one for Californians unlucky enough to buy a new or used car that turns out to be a clunker.
Starting Jan. 1, car buyers who purchase a faulty vehicle will have to navigate a new version of California’s “lemon law” that for five decades has given consumers the right to demand car companies fix or replace defective vehicles they sell.
That is, unless lawmakers quickly pass a law that allows some of the car companies to opt out of the new requirements.
The confusion stems from a law Gov. Gavin Newsom reluctantly signed in late September, after the bill was hastily jammed through the Legislature in the waning days of the session following secret negotiations between lobbyists. Newsom said it was important to address the problem of California’s courts getting clogged with lemon law cases, even as critics said the bill significantly watered down consumer protections.
But Newsom said he signed it only after lawmakers said they’d introduce legislation next year to make the reforms voluntary for automakers.
Lawmakers have already introduced legislation that they say meets Newsom’s demands. It’s now anyone’s guess how long it will take the bill to make it through the Senate and the Assembly and get Newsom’s signature. Meanwhile, portions of the new lemon law take effect Jan. 1; others in April.
Adding to the confusion, a month after Newsom signed the new lemon bill, Assembly Bill 1755, the California Supreme Court ruled that the state’s lemon law doesn’t require manufacturers to honor a car’s warranty when it’s re-sold as a used vehicle. Before the Supreme Court’s ruling, courts had interpreted the lemon law to require manufacturers to replace or repair a defective used car or truck if the clunker was sold within the window of its original new-vehicle warranty.
The justices said that if Californians have a problem with how they’ve interpreted the statute, state lawmakers are welcome to write a new bill.
“Those arguments are best directed to the Legislature, which remains free to amend the definition of ‘new motor vehicle’ to include used vehicles with a balance remaining on the manufacturer’s new car warranty,” the court wrote in its Oct. 31 opinion. At least one lawmaker has suggested to CalMatters he and his colleagues could take the court up on that suggestion.
As the Legislature sorts this out, Rosemary Shahan of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety said car buyers next year are going to have a tough time figuring out what to do if they drive a lemon off the lot.
“It’s going to be really confusing for consumers,” she said.
Lemon law cases clog California courts
California’s lemon law defines a “lemon” vehicle as one that has serious warranty defects that the manufacturer can’t fix, even after multiple attempts. The lemon law applies only to disputes involving the manufacturer’s new vehicle warranty.
If the manufacturer or dealer is unable to repair a serious warranty defect in a vehicle after what the law says is a “reasonable” number of attempts, the manufacturer must either replace it or refund its purchase price, whichever the customer prefers, according to the California Department of Consumer Affairs.
Disputes can be resolved through arbitration or in court if a consumer sues. The new lemon law was a compromise between U.S. automakers, consumer attorneys and judges who came together to address a growing backlog of lemon law cases in the state’s courts.
The number of such cases in California courts climbed from nearly 15,000 in 2022 to more than 22,000 last year. In Los Angeles County, nearly 10% of all civil filings are now lemon law cases.
Proponents argue the bill Newsom signed will speed up the process of getting consumers a working vehicle, while setting new procedural rules for the litigation process that will ease the burden on courts.
But Shahan and other critics argue the changes will primarily benefit U.S. car companies, since they’re the ones most commonly sued under the state’s lemon law at the expense of consumers. Foreign car companies largely opposed the measure.
Shahan says the statistics on lemon law cases show why U.S automakers wanted the rule changed. U.S. car companies have a significantly higher number of lemon law cases in California than their foreign counterparts.
It’s also why, if lawmakers pass the bill Newsom wants, the foreign companies are likely to choose to abide by the original version of the lemon law.
In the meantime, until lawmakers pass the pending legislation, buyers who purchase any defective new vehicle will have less time to sue, and they’ll get less money from rebates, according to Shahan and other critics.
The new rules also shrink the period they can use the lemon law to just six years instead of the entire life of a vehicle’s warranty, which can last longer, Shahan said.
And because of the Supreme Court’s ruling that said new vehicle warranties do not cover the car once it’s resold used, plaintiffs such as Mariana Alvarado Rodriguez are now feeling the squeeze.
Court ruling impacts used lemon vehicle disputes
In 2021, Alvarado Rodriguez, a seasonal farmworker who lives in Tulare County, purchased a 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 with 40,002 miles from a Fresno County car dealer for $25,000, according to court records.
Almost immediately after she drove it off the lot, she said the truck started having mechanical problems that she claims should have been covered under the vehicle’s warranties. But she said the car’s maker, General Motors, refused to honor them.
“I kept making payments,” she said in Spanish. “Then … I finally decided to get an attorney and told the dealership, ‘That truck, it just doesn’t work.’ ”
A Fresno County judge tossed her lawsuit a year later after the Fourth District Court of Appeal ruled in a separate case that warranties that would apply to new cars don’t carry over if the vehicle is sold again. The Supreme Court affirmed that judgment.
Alvarado Rodriguez said she still doesn’t have reliable transportation for when she returns to work this spring in the fruit-packing sheds.
“The process has been so long,” she said. “It’s really, really affected me.”
Democratic Sen. Tom Umberg of Santa Ana is one of the authors of the new lemon law reforms slated to take effect next year. He also co-wrote the new legislation in December to address Newsom’s concerns. For now, it doesn’t address the Supreme Court’s ruling that impacted used vehicle warranty claims like Alvarado Rodriguez’s.
He said lawmakers will likely take that issue up as well when they reconvene after the holidays.
“I would expect that there would be further conversation,” he said. “At least it’s my point of view that you don’t want consumers to be hoodwinked.”
Libby Rainey
has been tracking how L.A. is preparing for the 2028 Olympic Games.
Published October 16, 2026 2:33 PM
The Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted in late March to research what it would take to create a Bureau of Police Oversight, moving accounting and audit roles out of the police department and into the controller’s office.
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Kevin Winter
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Getty Images
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Topline:
Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia says his office issued a subpoena to Olympics organizing committee LA28 Friday, demanding it hand over documents detailing its finances, contracts and budgets for venue construction projects.
Why now: The move comes after LA28 failed to include a detailed list of its contracts in its recent budget report to the city, despite a contract requiring their disclosure.
Details on the deal: The Games Agreement between the city and LA28 requires the committee to submit the name, type, amount, term and purpose of each contract it has entered into worth more than $1 million. It also requires the organizing committee to give updates on venue improvements, including schedules and budgets.
Read on… for more about why this is a rare move from a city controller.
In a rare move, Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia on Friday said his office issued a subpoena to Olympics organizing committee LA28, demanding it hand over documents detailing its finances, contracts and budgets for venue construction projects.
The Games Agreement between the city and LA28 requires the committee to submit the name, type, amount, term and purpose of each contract it has entered into worth more than $1 million. It also requires the organizing committee to give updates on venue improvements, including schedules and budgets.
The controller issued a request for those details in a letter to LA28 in August, but said it turned to legal action because the organization still hasn’t satisfied its obligations. The city of Los Angeles is the financial backstop for the Games, and will be on the hook for cost overruns if LA28 doesn’t turn a profit.
“The Controller’s Office completed a review of all LA28 documents within the City’s possession and determined that the financial documents requested are either incomplete or wholly absent,” Mejia’s office wrote in a news release issued Friday.
The controller's office told LAist Friday that it worked with the city attorney on the LA28 subpoena and that it "has the full support and backing of the City Attorney’s office."
LA28 did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
There is precedent for city controllers issuing subpoenas, but they’re not common.
Former City Controller Ron Galperin told LAist that he only issued a subpoena while he was in office one time.
“It’s a power that controllers don’t necessarily exercise a lot, but when it’s the right time, it’s an important tool,” he said.
LAist has reached out to the mayor’s office, city attorney, chief legislative analyst and city administrative officer’s office for comment.
The Norte Fire near San Clemente on Friday afternoon.
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Alert California
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UC San Diego
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Topline:
A brush fire near San Clemente spread to 250 acres Friday, prompting evacuation orders as flames threatened structures.
What we know so far: The Norte Fire broke out around 11:30 a.m. near Portico Del Norte and Eminencia Del Norte, San Clemente, and was 0% contained as of 1:30 p.m., according to Cal Fire. The fire was reportedly affecting homes in the area of Avenida Calita, Via La Mirada, and Via De Agua in San Juan Capistrano, with evacuations ordered for San Juan Zones 4, 5 and 10, and San Clemente Zones 12 and 13. Television news footage showed multiple homes on fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Read on ... for more on evacuations and weather conditions.
This is a developing story and will be updated. For the most up-to-date information about the fire you can check:
A brush fire near San Clemente spread to 465 acres Friday, burning at least four homes and prompting evacuation orders.
The Norte Fire ignited around 11:30 a.m. near Portico Del Norte and Eminencia Del Norte in San Clemente, and was 0% contained as of 2:40 p.m., according to Cal Fire.
The fire was reportedly burning homes in the area of Avenida Calita, Via La Mirada, and Via De Agua in San Juan Capistrano, with evacuations ordered for San Juan Zones 4, 5 and 10, and San Clemente Zones 12 and 13. Television news footage showed multiple homes on fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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A performer with Puro Corazon dances at the Día de los Muertos Festival at Placita Olvera in 2025.
(
Steve Saldivar
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The LA Local
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Topline:
Boyle Heights Beat rounded up a list of mostly free events on L.A.’s Eastside and downtown to celebrate the cherished cultural holiday.
Why it matters: Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a time to honor the memory of loved ones who have died. The holiday’s most beloved traditions include building ofrendas at home or visiting cemeteries to decorate the graves of those who have departed.
What to expect: The celebration, widely observed in Mexico and other Latin American countries, also brings colorful, vibrant events to Los Angeles. On or before Nov. 1 and 2, cempasúchil-covered altars, intricately designed sugar calaveras and pan de muerto will spring up.
Read on... for your guide on events on the Eastside.
Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a time to honor the memory of loved ones who have died. The holiday’s most beloved traditions include building ofrendas at home or visiting cemeteries to decorate the graves of those who have departed.
The celebration, widely observed in Mexico and other Latin American countries, also brings colorful, vibrant events to Los Angeles. On or before Nov. 1 and 2, cempasúchil-covered altars, intricately designed sugar calaveras and pan de muerto will spring up.
We’ve rounded up a list of mostly free events on L.A.’s Eastside and downtown to celebrate the cherished cultural holiday.
Oct. 17: Día de los Muertos at El Sereno Community Arts
El Sereno Community Arts presents its 17th annual Día de los Muertos community celebration with a day full of activities for the whole family. The event will feature free arts and culture programming, community altars, live musical performances and food from local vendors. The festival will also feature artwork and handmade catrinas made from the arts center’s community workshops.
More information: Check their Instagram page here.
Oct. 17: What We Carry: East L.A. to Palestine at Tonalli Studio
Ofelia Esparza stands by an altar at Tonalli Studios on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.
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Carol Martinez
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Boyle Heights Beat
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Tonalli Studio will open its Día de los Muertos exhibition and ofrenda to showcase how land, home and family are threatened today. What We Carry tells the stories of resilience across generations from the communities of East L.A. to Palestine. Guests are invited to add names, prayers or written statements to this year’s “East L.A. to Palestine” ofrenda.
More information: Check their Instagram page here.
Oct. 18: Paint and Sip at Cafe Niña
Join the beloved coffee spot for a morning decorating a miniature altar to add to your ofrenda at home. Each ticket will include your choice of a coffee or matcha, a paint set with a miniature ofrenda and a light brunch. Tickets are limited, so be sure to grab yours through their Instagram page.
More information: Check their Instagram here to purchase a ticket.
Oct. 18: Crafting Party at Benny Boy Brewing
Benny Boy Brewing is hosting its 4th Annual Día de los Muertos Crafting Celebration, featuring sugar skull decorating sessions. There will be an assortment of crafting materials to choose from and additional items include a clear box to display your completed sugar skull, ribbon, cempasuchil flowers and a customized tealight candle. Guests can purchase a small or large skull and get free face-painting. Please note that the event is for guests 21 and over.
More information: Visit their Instagram or purchase tickets here.
Oct. 24: Calavera LGBTQ+ Festival by Latino Equity Alliance
A catrina is pictured with a Pride flag at the Calavera LGBTQ Street Festival.
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Courtesy of LEA
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The Latino Equity Alliance will celebrate its annual Calavera LGBTQ+ Festival with an evening of drag and musical performances, dancing, community resource booths and an altar. In collaboration with the Get Out the Vote Initiative, the festival will also feature a free, nonpartisan, L.A. County Mobile Voting Center located outside the venue for the public to access.
More information: Visit their webpage to purchase tickets
Oct. 24 – Nov. 2: Día de los Muertos at Gloria Molina Grand Park
For 10 days, Gloria Molina Grand Park will transform into an exhibition space honoring cultural traditions through art, community altars and remembrance. Kicking off the festivities with an opening ceremony, attendees can enjoy live musical performances from El Río, Grupo Bella, Anaís Azul, and Mariachi Arco Iris de Los Angeles. The celebration will honor indigenous roots by including a sacred processional and blessing from Ohtli Yollotl Collective. Guests can explore up to 17 unique altars from local artists and organizations on display and are encouraged to contribute to the event’s designated community altar by leaving a photo, note, or memento in remembrance of a loved one. This year’s theme is “The Power of One” and is curated by artist Consuelo G. Flores. Guests will be able to participate in family-friendly activities, including free face painting, sugar skull workshops and wellness offerings from community partners.
Cost: Free
When: Opening ceremony: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. Noche De Muertos Closing Celebration: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1. 10-day exhibition displays open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Oct. 25: Family Day at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
Young dancers at Día de los Muertos Family Day at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes in October, 2024.
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Courtesy of LA Plaza
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For an afternoon full of family-friendly activities and entertainment, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes welcomes attendees to participate in this year’s community celebration. Featuring three workshops that explore traditional practices, including painting skull masks, flower accessories and herb bundles. Food from Tamales Veracruz y Más and Sammy’s Elotes y Más will be available for purchase. This year’s celebration will feature a number of live entertainment acts, including Banda Filarmónica Los Alebrijes, Grupo Folklórico Princesa Donaji, and Los Elejidos de Asís de los Muertos. LA Plaza encourages guests to contribute to their Ofrenda Comunitaria.
In partnership with Youth to the People, Las Fotos Project is hosting its bi-monthly community wellness day with a Día de los Muertos celebration. The event will feature family-friendly activations like art-making, including their signature vela decorating station, calavera or catrina face painting, a community ofrenda, and a stylized portrait station. Guests can enjoy light bites and beverages and explore the free clothing swap station and community resources available, including special guest Soluna to discuss their free mental health resources. In partnership with Polo’s Pantry and Saticoy Food Hub, there will also be fresh produce available while supplies last.
Beginning Oct. 24, SuperNova Thrift invites the community to take part in the making of their Día de los Muertos altar. People are encouraged to bring a photocopy of their loved ones with their name, a letter, drawing, or memory, flowers, and small nonvaluable offerings. Participants are also welcome to join by being a helping hand in the making of the altar. The altar will be open for viewing at the storefront from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2, with three special days of remembrance.
More information: Check their Instagram page here.
Oct. 30: 1st Street Community Block Party
A child dances folkorico at Día de Muertos 1st Street Community Block Party on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025.
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Luis Cano
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Boyle Heights Beat
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The 1st Street Collective, a hub for the businesses along Boyle Heights’ 1st Street corridor, is back with its Día de Muertos Community Block Party at Mariachi Plaza. This year’s celebration will feature music, dancing, family-friendly activations and local vendors. Enjoy free face painting, live art installations, performances, a community altar and more for people of all ages.
More information: Visit their Instagram page here.
Nov. 1: Día de los Muertos at Plaza de la Raza
A truck is decorated at Plaza de La Raza’s Dia de los Muertos celebration in 2024.
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Boyle Heights Beat
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Join Plaza de la Raza’s annual outdoor community celebration, which will include hands-on workshops, musical entertainment, art and local vendors. Attendees can join a variety of crafting workshops, from calaca puppet making to papel picado, alebrije making, and flower making with altarista Ofelia Esparza and family. Attendees can also walk through a vendor marketplace and explore the artwork and altar installations that will feature over 25 participating artists. Live performances include members of Ozomatli, El Mariachi Manchester, Danza Divina de Los Angeles, Tiny Tots Folklorico, Plaza de La Raza Mariachi and Folklorico students, and Folkor Pasión Mexicana.
The Boathouse Gallery will also be open for its “El Velorio” exhibit, featuring original work from over 200 local artists and curated by Superchief Gallery, Irene Hernandez and Manny Martinez. The exhibit will be on display from Oct. 10 to Nov. 7.
Nov. 6 – 8: Every Altar Begins with a Story by Colibri Dance Theatre & Casa 0101 Theater
This Día de Los Muertos, a contemporary theatrical dance production takes center stage at Casa 0101. Presented by the Colibri Dance Theatre, the performance will be full of stories of love, family, resilience, joy, grief, forgiveness and strength. In this showcase, an altar comes to life as told through the eyes of CUENTOS characters “La Catrina,” “El Catrin,” “Alebrije,” and “Calacas.” Attendees can experience a night of movement, music, and poetry that honors Día de Muertos traditions and cultural practices.
Cost: $23 – $29, including special ticket prices for Boyle Heights residents, students/seniors, and group ticket purchases.
When: 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, and Saturday, Nov. 7, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8
More information: Visit their webpage to purchase tickets.
Nov. 7 : Cafecito + Little Piñata Workshop
Join this community collaboration between Healing in Spanglish and Little Piñata Guy for a mini piñata workshop to dedicate and honor loved ones. Each attendee ticket includes coffee from Anhelo Coffee, Pan de Muerto by Repostería Aguilar, and materials to create your own mini piñata. Spend your morning remembering your loved ones and crafting with community. Tickets are limited.
Nov. 7: Día de los Muertos at Self Help Graphics & Art
Dancers perform Danza Azteca at Mariachi Plaza during a procession for the Self Help Graphics & Art Día de los Muertos celebration.
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Courtesy of Self Help Graphics & Art
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To round out their monthlong community art workshops and events, Self Help Graphics and Art will host its 53rd Annual Día de los Muertos celebration. This year’s celebration is in partnership with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino. The communal gathering will begin with a procession at 2 p.m. at Mariachi Plaza led by Danza Azteca Chicomecoatl and will end on the corner of 1st Street and Anderson Street, outside Self Help Graphics, for the festivities. Attendees can shop through the “Muertos Market,” featuring local artists and artisans, local food vendors, Self Help Graphics prints for sale, face painting, and arts activities for all ages. The celebration will also include a main stage for live musical performances from Extra Ancestral, Chulita Vinyl Club L.A., Jimetta Rose and the Voices of Creation, La Santa Cecilia, The Red Alibi, Mendez High School Mariachi, and headliners, Los Lobos.
More information: To register and reserve your spot, visit the webpage here.
* Event will take place outside on the Anderson Street side
Nov. 7 – 8: Floricanto’s Fiesta de Día de los Muertos
The Floricanto Center for Performing Arts and Danza Floricanto will host a Día de los Muertos-themed showcase for its 24th annual program. For one weekend only, the Center will be transformed into a cemetery, and a series of characters, including the show’s guide “La Catrina,” will lead audiences through an evening of storytelling and dance. The showcase will feature themes of love, death, mental illness, teen pregnancy and immigration. Show doors open 30 minutes before showtime.
Cost: General admission pre-sale: $15, $20 at the door
VIP seating presale only:Children ages 5 to 10 years old $10 *child tickets only sold at box office
Construction workers finish the exterior of an apartment building in downtown Los Angeles on June 18, 2021.
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Damian Dovarganes
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AP Photo
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Topline:
For years, California has grappled with a problem that has affected nearly every aspect of our society: The state doesn’t have enough homes that people can afford to live in. Proposition 1 aims to address that crisis.
Why it matters: It’s estimated that more than 180,000 Californians are homeless. Rents are so high that a minimum wage worker would need to work 102 hours a week to afford a typical one-bedroom apartment, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
Construction issue: A big piece of that problem is construction: Not enough homes are being built. Fewer than a third of California cities and counties are on track to permit enough market-rate housing to hit their state-mandated targets, and fewer than 6% are on track for very low-income housing. Those targets are based on the state’s assumption that we need nearly 2.5 million more homes. Legislators have passed multiple laws trying to address that by making it easier, faster and cheaper to get projects permitted and built. Prop. 1 is supposed to supply the money.
Read on... for more on the housing bond on the ballot.
For years, California has grappled with a problem that has affected nearly every aspect of our society: The state doesn’t have enough homes that people can afford to live in. Proposition 1 aims to address that crisis.
It’s estimated that more than 180,000 Californians are homeless. Rents are so high that a minimum wage worker would need to work 102 hours a week to afford a typical one-bedroom apartment, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
A big piece of that problem is construction: Not enough homes are being built. Fewer than a third of California cities and counties are on track to permit enough market-rate housing to hit their state-mandated targets, and fewer than 6% are on track for very low-income housing. Those targets are based on the state’s assumption that we need nearly 2.5 million more homes.
A recent report estimated nearly 40,000 affordable units throughout California have been designed, permitted and partially funded and are sitting stalled because developers just can’t quite get enough money to build them.
What would Prop. 1 do?
If it passes, Prop. 1 would allow the state to sell $11.25 billion in general obligation bonds to fund various types of housing, including homes for veterans, homeless Californians, renters, homeowners, farmworkers, students and tribes.
Where would the money go?
Prop. 1 would fund a variety of programs. Here’s how it breaks down:
$7.2 billion to buy, build or renovate apartment buildings, generally through low-interest loans to developers. Projects funded this way would have to reserve a certain number of units for low-income households. Some would be used for “supportive housing,” homeless housing that includes additional services. This, in combination with other funding sources, would help support up to 40,000 rental units, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office.
$1.25 billion to help veterans secure loans to buy homes.
$1.1 billion to help low and moderate-income households buy homes.
$500 million for the infrastructure that supports new housing construction, such as water, sewage, parks and transportation improvements.
$450 million to build or renovate an estimated 2,500 units of farmworker housing.
$350 million to fund affordable homes for an estimated 1,200 University of California and California State University students.
$200 million in housing grants to tribes, which could fund both home construction and renovation.
$200 million up for grabs to cities, counties and other groups that pitch pilot projects to develop low-cost housing.
How would California pay for it?
It would cost the state between $500 million and $600 million each year for about 25 years to repay the cost of the general housing bond, according to the legislative analyst. That money would come from the state’s general fund, and factors in interest. The $1.25 billion for veterans housing would not cost the state anything, as participating vets would pay it off through monthly loan payments.
Have we done anything like this before?
California voters approved (by the slimmest of margins) another bond in 2024 that provided $2 billion to fund homes for people who need mental health and addiction services and veterans. That 2024 bond also was dubbed Prop. 1.
What do supporters say?
Supporters include housing developers and advocates, veterans groups, the California State University and University of California boards, groups representing California’s cities and counties, Democratic legislators and Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Donors backing Prop. 1 also reflect some who would benefit. The campaign has received more than $12 million, including about $2 million from carpenters' unions, $1 million from Airbnb and $1 million from Building a Better California, a PAC funded by Google founder Sergey Brin and other Silicon Valley billionaires.
Vivian Wan, chief executive of affordable housing provider Abode, says her organization has four projects with a planned total of about 230 units in the works that she hopes Prop. 1 will fund. Three are in the Bay Area and one is in Yolo County. Without that cash infusion, all four projects are stalled, she said. Projects for homeless and low-income residents need large subsidies since their tenants don’t pay enough in rent to offset the cost of building. They often also have to fund additional services, such as case managers to help residents navigate their physical and mental health, addictions, finances and more. City and county dollars can pay for some but not all of that.
Prop. 1 would be “huge,” Wan said. But it wouldn’t magically solve the housing crisis.
“Is it enough? Absolutely not,” she said. “We are lightyears behind in terms of production to meet the need. We have underinvested in housing for decades. This is going to help, for sure, but we really need a permanent source.”
What do opponents say?
When this measure came up for a floor vote before the Legislature, two Republican senators voted no, as well as seven Republican assemblymembers.
Sen. Tony Strickland, a Republican from Huntington Beach who opposed the bill, said calling it “The Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026” amounted to a bait-and-switch maneuver, as only a small fraction of the total funds go to vets.
“It really just says that you're using veterans to pass your $10 billion general obligation bond,” he said during a June hearing.
And, he said, there are better ways to get families into housing than using a bond to “borrow money against the future.” The strong revenues California experienced this year won’t continue, making it risky to push the state deeper into debt, he said.
Opponents have not reported receiving any contributions.
