Housing is a human right. We all deserve the opportunity to provide for our families, have a safe place to call home, and pursue our dreams. That is why the ACLU of Southern California is proud to endorse Yes on Measure ULA, the “United to House L.A.” initiative – which will provide crucially needed aid to the Angelenos who need it most.
After proponents of House L.A. Measure gathered nearly 100,000 signatures, it was certified by the Los Angeles city clerk’s office and will appear on the City of Los Angeles ballot in November. Measure ULA will create the largest investment in affordable housing in the city’s history by immediately buying and building homes for people living on the street, sending emergency assistance to low-income seniors in danger of becoming unhoused, and providing legal aid to tenants facing unlawful eviction.
This citizen-led initiative was written by housing experts — not politicians. It will only be paid for by millionaires, billionaires, and corporations when they sell their properties in Los Angeles for more than $5 million. This “mansion tax” only affects 3% of property sales yet would generate $875 million annually. This means that the wealthy would pay their fair share in creating affordable and permanent homes across Los Angeles.
What else will Measure ULA do?
Create Affordable Housing
- The measure will create a permanent supply of affordable housing paid for entirely by the sale of mega mansions.
- Over a decade, this would mean 26,000 homes, helping 69,000 people.
Reduce Housing Insecurity
- The measure will prevent housing insecurity by building ten times as much housing.
- It will provide direct aid to low-income seniors, people with disabilities, and other people at risk of living on the streets.
Protect Renters
- The measure will protect renters from harassment, unlawful eviction, and illegal rent hikes by providing renters with tenant rights education, direct legal aid, rent relief, as well as monitoring and enforcement of these protections.
- The measure will help 475,000 at-risk renters maintain stability and keep their home each year.
Support Seniors
- Seniors are the fastest growing unhoused population. Seventy-five percent of seniors struggle to pay rent and could be in danger of becoming unhoused.
- The measure provides rent support to extremely low-income seniors in danger of losing their homes.
Provide Jobs
- The measure has strong labor and local hire provisions between affordable housing groups and the building and construction trades.
- It will create 44,000 good-paying jobs so working families can build a future here.
Support Racial Justice
- One-in-three unhoused people are Black. The measure will reduce houselessness and confront racial injustice in our discriminatory housing market.
- New home ownership among Black residents is at a historic low. The measure creates single-family and cooperative home ownership opportunities to build and maintain wealth in underserved communities.
Further Equality Under the Law
- Everyone deserves to be free from discrimination. Through tenant’s rights education, direct tenant legal assistance and mechanisms to monitor illegal rent hikes and evictions, the measure will ensure that tenants facing discrimination or harassment have the resources they need.
- The measure has a specific focus on direct aid for those who are elderly, disabled, or in underserved communities who rarely get the full protections of the law that they deserve.
How You Can Help:
- Vote “YES” on Measure ULA in the November election and encourage your friends and family to do the same.
- Organizations can join more than 150 organizations endorsing Measure ULA.
- Stay up to date with United to House L.A.
