Among ballot propositions this election season, USC students are contending with California ballot measures that may affect their housing options post-graduation, as well as the requirements they must meet to vote in future elections.
The 14 statewide propositions address issues including affordable housing and voter identification. As USC students weigh these, important questions arise: What could change for younger Californians and how are students deciding which proposals to support?
Proposition 1 would allocate about $11 billion in housing bonds to support affordable housing, including $350 million split evenly between the University of California and California State University systems, according to the California Official Voter Information Guide
The proposal also includes a little over $7 billion to build, buy and renovate affordable housing, along with about $1 billion for homeownership programs for low and moderate income households. For young Californians planning their lives after graduation, these investments could affect where they can afford to live.
For Giselle Ohm, a sophomore studying health promotion and disease prevention, looking for next year’s housing has made her question whether she can afford to stay in Los Angeles after graduation.
“The rent prices are so much higher than what my friends who go to school outside of California are going to be paying for their housing,” Ohm said. “So that’s kind of daunting to me and seems a little bit unfeasible.”
Ohm, who is from Massachusetts, said she is considering moving to Northern California or returning to the East Coast after graduation. She said that employment opportunities, proximity to family and weather would influence that decision, but that the cost of living could be the biggest factor in whether she stays in Los Angeles.
Of Proposition 1’s $11 billion in housing bonds, $10 billion would be repaid through California’s General Fund which pays for most public services, costing an estimated cost of $500 million to $600 million annually for about 25 years, including interest, according to the official voter guide. The remaining $1 billion would be repaid through veterans’ mortgage payments. For current college students, that means the state would continue repaying these bonds well into their working years.
Proposition 45 would change how housing projects are approved by setting stricter deadlines for environmental reviews. It would also allow court challenges for eligible projects while shortening the time the public has to comment, according to the California Official Voting Guide
For younger voters, Proposition 45 raises a key question: how can California build more housing while giving residents a voice in what gets built in their communities? In the official voter guide, Supporters argue that faster approvals would help lower housing costs. Opponents say the measure could weaken environmental oversight and limit public input without guaranteeing lower rents.
Californians are also debating whether or not government-issued identification should be required to vote. If passed, voters would have to show identification at polling stations, and mail-in voters would be required to include the last four digits of their ID number when voting.
“It’s especially hurtful or harmful for people with disabilities, elderly voters, naturalized citizens, and low-income voters,” said Alexa Didinksy, a senior philosophy, police and law (PPL) major.
Campaign funding for Proposition 39 comes from both supporters and opponents. Opponents include the California Democratic Party and the California Nurses Association. Supporters, including Republicans backing the measure and the agriculture and livestock industries, have received funding from independent donors such as Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, according to CalMatters. The agriculture and livestock industries also support the proposition.
Didinsky views this proposition as unnecessary.
“Prop 39 was proposed by people who tend to fall out, such as billionaires in California, and those who tend to align with MAGA and Trump ideology,” said Didinksy. “That alone says a lot.”
Edited by Jadon Frank and Ben Gamson