California bond measure aimed at homelessness passes

Kelsey Jukam

(CN) — It’s official: California voters have approved Proposition 1, a ballot measure aimed at boosting mental health resources and addressing the state’s homelessness crisis.

The Associated Press called the razor-thin race Wednesday night, more than two weeks after voters went to the polls to determine its fate.

The initiative enables the issuance of $6.4 billion in bonds to pay for housing for people with addiction and mental health issues, and it will change how funds gleaned from the Mental Health Services Act are used.

Voters approved that tax on millionaires in 2004. Under the newly passed proposition, counties will be required to spend about two-thirds of the funds they receive from that tax on housing and programs for homeless people with serious mental illness and substance abuse issues.

According to state election results, 3,603,915 votes (51%) were in favor of the proposition, while 3,575,114 votes (49.8%) voted against.

“This is a huge victory for doing things radically different when it comes to tackling homelessness,” Governor Gavin Newsom said on X Wednesday night.

“Now it’s time to get to work — repairing the damage caused by decades of broken promises and neglect to those suffering from severe mental illness,” he added.

Opponent group Californians Against Prop 1 said in a statement Wednesday the measure could be a “humanitarian disaster” if mismanaged.

“It’s an embarrassing squeaker of a victory that contains a strong warning,” the group said in the statement.

“Prop. 1 was poorly designed because it relies on $10 billion in debt and stealing money from existing mental health services,” the group continued. “The governor's campaign succeeded only by concealing the way this measure is paid for. They barely got away with it.”

The results will officially be certified by the state on April 12.