Prop 98 Erodes Essential California Environmental Protections; Prop 99 Protects Our Communities

Planning and Zoning Nightmares

Here are just a few examples of the planning and zoning nightmares it would create:

• Downtowns A local government decision to encourage development of its downtown could be attacked as creating an economic transfer to the downtown store owners at the expense of big box outlets that may want to open at the city’s periphery. But, a decision to permit the opening of a big box outlet could also be attacked by the downtown merchants as creating an economic transfer to the big box outlet at their expense.

• Liquor Stores. A local government decision to disallow liquor stores in certain residential areas could be attacked by the liquor stores as increasing residential property values at their expense. But, a decision to allow a liquor store could be attacked by the neighbors as transferring an economic benefit to the liquor store at the expense of their property values.

• New Subdivision. A decision to approve a new subdivision that will increase traffic significantly could be attacked by local neighbors as transferring an economic benefit to the developer as the expense of their property values. But, denial of the new subdivision could also be attacked by the developer as a transfer of economic benefit from it to the neighboring property owners.

• Hillside Protection. A local government decision to restrict development on steep hillsides could be attacked by the developer as an economic transfer from the hillside property to protect the views and values of the properties at the top of the hill. But, a decision to allow development on the hillside could also be attacked by the neighbors as an economic transfer to the developer that causes a reduction in their property values.

Why Renters Should OPPOSE Prop. 98: The Landlords’ Hidden Agendas Scheme to Eliminate Rent Control and Renter-Protections

Wealthy apartment and mobile home park owners are spending millions on a deceptive campaign to pass Prop. 98 for their own financial gain. Their hidden agenda is to eliminate rent control so they can make hundreds of millions of dollars by raising rents on seniors and working families.

Unless defeated, Prop. 98 — The Landlords’ Hidden Agendas Scheme — would:

Eliminate rent control and other renter protection laws. Proposition 98 would phase out rent control in California. It would prohibit future rent control laws and abolish rent control on units once existing tenants move. As a result, Prop. 98 would jeopardize affordable housing for thousands of seniors and widows on fixed incomes, single mothers and working families.

Attack protections for mobile home owners. Under Prop. 98, mobile home park owners could not be prevented by state or local governments from pursuing what are called “condo conversions.” Under condo conversions, park owners can force mobile homeowners to buy the space their home occupies at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars per unit. This would leave mobile homeowners stuck in a lose/lose situation - forced to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for the land underneath their units, or tens of thousands to relocate. Unable to pay either of these costs, many seniors and low-income mobile homeowners could be forced out of their homes altogether.

Destroy value of mobile homes. Because Prop. 98 would eliminate rent control as soon as the current tenant vacates the property, mobile home owners will face extreme difficulty trying to sell their units. Potential buyers will be discouraged from purchasing the mobile home because rent control protections on space will be lost when units are sold – destroying the equity in these life-long investments for many seniors.

Gut laws that protect renters. Proposition 98 would also jeopardize dozens of laws that protect renters. It would:

• Jeopardize laws requiring the fair return of rental deposits
• Jeopardize laws requiring 60-day notice before forcing renters out of their housing
• Outlaw local affordable housing and “inclusionary zoning” requirements
• Jeopardize laws that protect seniors and the disabled from drastic rent increases and that require landlords to give them ample notice before forcing them out of rental housing

On June 3 (or on your absentee ballot), remember to vote NO on Proposition 98 and to vote YES on Proposition 99.

Also on the June ballot is a real eminent domain reform measure (prohibiting government from taking homes to transfer to private developers): Prop 99, the Homeowners Protection Act. Prop 99 is straightforward reform without the hidden agendas and adverse consequences of Prop 98. Prop 99 is supported by a broad coalition of homeowners, business, labor, cities, counties and environmentalists.

Because turnout is expected to be low on June 3, your vote is especially critical to stop Proposition 98 and elect environmental champions. Read more about what's at stake on June 3.

Take action today: Forward this article, talk to your friends--and remember to vote.

The California League of Conservation Voters works to elect the best environmental leaders, keep them accountable, and implement strong environmental laws in California. Candidates know that their endorsement is one of the premier environmental endorsements in the state, because their endorsement process is so rigorous. (CLCV routinely elects over 90% of the candidates it endorses.) When CLCV advocates for strong environmental laws, legislators and public officials take note of more than three decades of success and the more than 20,000 CLCV members who stand behind their work.