Scot is keeping up-to-date on the politics of the rental crisis in San Francisco. Here’s an op-ed by State Senator Mark Leno on an upcoming proposition:
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For SF Proposition G: Stop unfair evictions
Evictions are rapidly changing the fabric of San Francisco. Ellis Act evictions are up 170 percent and real estate speculators are gaming our housing market to make huge short-term profits by displacing our residents and driving up housing costs for everyone. Proposition G, the antispeculation tax on the Nov. 4 ballot, offers a solution.
Prop. G is a sensible use of tax policy to encourage the stability of our communities in San Francisco. The goal is to discourage speculators from buying properties and then quickly selling them for big profits.
Prop. G follows up efforts in the Legislature to reform the use of the Ellis Act. Our Ellis Act bill would have only applied to San Francisco but Realtors from across California did everything they could to stop it. They are doing the same with Prop. G. Together the National and California associations of Realtors have donated more than $1.2 million to flood San Francisco with mailers and ads attacking Prop. G and misleading voters.
The strategy appears to be telling homeowners who are exempt from Prop. G that they should fear the initiative. Let me be clear, homeowners will not be taxed. Prop. G is drafted very narrowly to go after a specific problem — speculators. These attacks on Prop. G are from the same playbook used to stop Ellis Act reform in Sacramento.
The people of San Francisco should be able to stop speculators from driving up housing prices. Prop. G offers a targeted solution. Together we can help stabilize housing costs and keep San Francisco as a place welcome to all. Vote yes on Prop. G.
Prop. G is a sensible use of tax policy to encourage the stability of our communities in San Francisco. The goal is to discourage speculators from buying properties and then quickly selling them for big profits.
Prop. G follows up efforts in the Legislature to reform the use of the Ellis Act. Our Ellis Act bill would have only applied to San Francisco but Realtors from across California did everything they could to stop it. They are doing the same with Prop. G. Together the National and California associations of Realtors have donated more than $1.2 million to flood San Francisco with mailers and ads attacking Prop. G and misleading voters.
The strategy appears to be telling homeowners who are exempt from Prop. G that they should fear the initiative. Let me be clear, homeowners will not be taxed. Prop. G is drafted very narrowly to go after a specific problem — speculators. These attacks on Prop. G are from the same playbook used to stop Ellis Act reform in Sacramento.
The people of San Francisco should be able to stop speculators from driving up housing prices. Prop. G offers a targeted solution. Together we can help stabilize housing costs and keep San Francisco as a place welcome to all. Vote yes on Prop. G.
