Today, many Americans are feeling divided and hurt by a long and ugly Presidential campaign and election results.  It is too early to know how our country and communities will heal and come back together, but is so important that we find a way to do just that. One way I hope all of us can start is by reminding ourselves and others of our shared mission.  Through our actions and our treatment of others, we can ensure that our work transcends political parties.

Today, we can all come together to celebrate the collective statement Californians made on Tuesday night in support of affordable housing. Every measure Mercy Housing endorsed across the state is set to pass while divisive efforts to block housing for the most vulnerable were stopped.

And while there is much work to do ahead, I am proud to share in the hope of this victory with you. Thank you for your continued support of Mercy Housing, our mission, and the people we serve across our great state.

 

Doug Shoemaker | President, Mercy Housing California

Take a look at what this means for California below:

YES ON A1 | Alameda County

Measure A1 authorized a $580 million bond to create affordable housing for low-income families and the homeless and provide critical repairs to protect our seniors from displacement.

Yes on K | San Mateo County

Measure K extended a half-cent sales tax for 20 years to generate $300 million to promote affordability for long-time residents and maintain vital community services and programs.

Yes on C | San Francisco

Proposition C redirects more than $260 million in unspent seismic safety bonds from 1992 toward the city’s biggest pain point–affordable housing. The measure will expand the permitted use of the bond to repair multi-unit buildings in need of seismic, fire, health and safety upgrades, and preserve affordability of such properties—many with residents at risk of facing eviction or displacement.

No on P and U | San Francisco

These divisive measures would have taken away affordable housing from the working poor and blocked building housing for the homeless and those with the greatest need. Prop P would have added undue restrictions and rules that would have killed potentially promising deals and delayed projects for the city’s most vulnerable populations. Prop U would have added to the already competitive bottleneck of applicants without providing for added units—creating even more uncertainty for low-income families struggling to find stable housing.

YES on HHH | Los Angeles

Prop HHH will mean $1.2 billion in safe, clean, affordable housing and facilities for supportive services including mental health and substance abuse assistance for the tens of thousands of homeless living on Los Angeles streets.