With almost $156K for the former city manager, a little over $139K for the incumbent and $8,500 for the other challenger

By Allen D. Payton

There are several battles in a political campaign war: ground – door-to-door precinct walking, air – including direct mail and TV, endorsements, signs, advertising and fundraising. The most recent campaign finance reports in the race for Mayor of Antioch show former city manager Ron Bernal has slightly increased his lead over Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe, while the other challenger, Rakesh Christian, is trailing in a distant third in the battle for the bucks.

Known as a Form 460, the report shows for the period of July 1 through Sept. 21 plus, a Form 497 report showing $1,000 contributed since then, the challenger had raised another $28,322 for a total of $155,967.34 for the year. The incumbent raised $22,375 for the period and an additional $3,000 since then for a total of $81,169. However, that amount does not include the $58,171.60 left over from his Stop the #Karen Recall committee that Hernandez-Thorpe transferred to his re-election committee. That has given the mayor a total of $139,340.60 to spend during the campaign.

The Form 460 report for the third candidate in the race, challenger and second-time candidate for mayor, Rakesh Christian, shows he’s loaned his committee $8,543.17 and spent it all during the period.

Bernal

The 460 report for the period shows Bernal’s largest contributions were $5,500 each from Dave and Thea Shupe, of Oakley, owners of Drill Tech Drilling & Shoring, Inc. in Antioch, $3,500 from rancher and farer Robert McGrew of Dixon, $2,000 from Michael Hurd of Antioch, self-employed in commercial real estate consulting and the former track and field coach at Antioch High School for whom the track is named, $1,000 from Antioch State Farm Insurance Agent James Lanter, $500 each from Pruthviraj Desai of Antioch, owner and manager of Antioch Executive Inn, the location of the City’s homeless hotel, Duane Shoemake of Antioch, listed as retired, Joe Stokley of Pleasant Hill, Broker of Stokley Properties, and $250 from Lori Ogorchock’s 2022 city council campaign committee and an additional $150 from the councilwoman.

His Form 497 filed on Sept. 29th shows two $500 contributions from Steven Abfalter of Antioch, listed as retired.

Bernal’s campaign committee spent almost all of the $47,228.72 during the period outside of Antioch and East County. The largest expenditures included $27,461.65 to Praetorian Public Relations of Walnut Creek for campaign consulting, $11,500 to J Wallin Opinion Research of Newport Beach for polling, $3,000 to Corey Agopian for social media content creation, $1,449 to the City of Antioch for candidate filing, $1,281 to the California Homeowners Voter Guide for a slate mailer and $981 to No Party Preference Voter Guide in Sacramento for another slate mailer.

Of the funds paid to Praetorian they in turn paid $8,756.36 to Imprint of Houston, TX for campaign paraphernalia, $3,705.43 to Landslide Communications in Laguna Niguel for literature, $3,006.80 to Prompt.io of Seattle, WA for phone banking, $2,298.76 to SignsOnTheCheap.com in Austin, TX and $774 to the COPS Voter Guide in Sacramento for a slate mailer.

Bernal’s committee began the period with a Beginning Cash Balance of $87,797.97, and as of Sept. 21st, had spent a total of $87,076.09 leaving him an Ending Cash Balance of $68,241.10 for the remainder of the campaign. See Bernal Form 460 0701-092124, Form 497 092924

Hernandez-Thorpe

The mayor’s largest contributions for the period were $5,000 each from Prestige One Investment, LLC of Brentwood, a company owned by businessman and Antioch commercial real estate owner Sean McCauley and Gary’s Liquor and Cigarettes for Less of Antioch,  $1,000 each from Doralee Montague of Lawrenceville, Georgia listed as Director, Cox Communications, Robert Collins of Antioch listed as retired, Teresa Moye of Atlanta, GA, Partner of Moye Properties, $500 each from DASS Sweets, Inc. of Antioch, form Contra Costa College Board Trustee Gregory Enholm of Bay Point listed as retired, Mary Simms of Antioch, owner of Simms Enterprises, Victor Baker of Pleasant Hill, CEO of EquitiFy, Pruthviraj Desai of Antioch, listed as a hotelier, owner of the Executive Inn on E. 18th Street and Taylor Drivon of Stockton, listed as a homemaker,

Plus, an additional $3,000 was received on Oct. 3 from Maria Quinto Collins of Antioch, the mother of the late Angelo Quinto for whom the City’s Crisis Response Team is named and listed as the Founder for the Angelo Quinto Foundation. Her husband is Robert Collins listed above. Thorpe voted to settle their family’s lawsuit against the City and police department for $7.5 million.

Unlike Bernal’s campaign, the Hernandez-Thorpe re-election campaign spent a large amount of his $66,481.49 in expenditures locally in Antioch and East County. The largest expenditures for the period include $19,244.59 paid to Belleci Signs of Pittsburg for literature and lawn signs, $11,393 for five slate mailers paid to a company in Torrance, $10,627.64 to Copyworld of Berkeley for literature, $2,898 to the City of Antioch for candidate filing fees, $2,689.63 to La Plazuela in Antioch for a fundraiser, $2,500 to Chef Clarinne LeGrone of Antioch for catering and event space for the Mayor’s Democratic Unity Rally, $2,155 to LowKii Photography of Antioch, $792 to FastSigns of Antioch for 4’x8’ signs, $750 to Vicki Robinson of Antioch the campaign’s treasurer, $729.34 to Facebook for online advertising, $566.30 to Cheapestees of Burlingame and $549.60 to Political Data, Inc. of Norwalk for literature.

The mayor’s campaign committee started the period with a Beginning Cash Balance of $99,204.31 and as of Sept. 21st had spent $81,742.78 and had an Ending Cash Balance of $54,597.82. Add the $3,000 from Mrs. Quinto Collins and Hernandez-Thorpe had $58,597.82 to spend for the remainder of the campaign.

There were no financial mistakes that could be seen in his latest report. See Hernandez-Thorpe Form 460 0701-092124, Form 497 100424

Christian

Of the funds Christian loaned to and were spent by his campaign, the largest expenditures were $4,713.58 to Sign-A-Rama of Antioch, $1,954.59 to the City of Antioch for the candidate filing fee and $1,500 to Kingdom Graphix of Antioch for website design. He had no Ending Cash Balance. See Christian Form 460 0701-092124

According to the California Secretary of State, the next reporting period ends on Oct. 19th and the candidates’ campaign committees must submit another Form 460 by Oct. 24th.

The election is November 5th.

Over $65,000 for research, polling, website and mailer saying Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe is “Unfit for Leadership”

By Allen D. Payton

A direct-mail hit piece arrived in Antioch residents’ mailboxes on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, against Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe saying he’s “Unfit for Leadership” and “Not Right for Antioch”. It was paid for by the California Real Estate Independent Expenditure Committee – California Association of REALTORS with the National Association of REALTORS® and California Association of REALTORS® as the “Committee’s Top Funders”.

According to the campaign finance report known as a Form 496, available through the Antioch City Clerk’s website, as of Oct. 8, 2024, the opposition campaign had spent $65,328.50 to defeat the incumbent, of which $40,000.00 paid for the mailer and a website, $17,312.50 for polling and $8,016.00 for research. (See CA Realtors Form 496)

Before independent expenditure committees spend money to support or oppose a candidate or ballot measure, they will pay for research and then a conduct a poll or survey of likely voters to determine the level of support or opposition, and what issues they should highlight in a campaign to achieve their goals.

The mailer highlights the mayor’s $350,000 sexual harassment claims settlement by the County in September 2022 and shows newspaper headlines and quotes from articles and editorials of his “intolerable misogynistic behavior” and include comments that, “He must resign” and “For the sake of the city, Thorpe should step aside.”

The mailer provides a website address of www.unfitforleadership.com which offers more details about Hernandez-Thorpe’s controversial behavior during his term as mayor with sub-headers of Sexual Harassment, Illegal Meetings, Selling His Office and Drunk Driving. The website shares information about the mayor’s political affairs consulting business, El Sereno Strategic Group, which, according to Bizpedia he formed on January 24, 2022. The company’s website includes a photo of Hernandez-Thorpe sitting in the Mayor’s Office at Antioch City Hall signing a City of Antioch certificate for someone and other photos from his official duties, including from some of his many press conferences.

One premise of the opposition campaign website is that the mayor is “Trading On His Political Relationships… ‘cultivated’ while an elected official in Antioch should be used to benefit the Citizens of Antioch, not reserved for paying clients.”

Questions for Hernandez-Thorpe Go Unanswered

Hernandez-Thorpe was asked if he’d seen the mailer and website and had any comments about them. He was also asked about his business website and why he’s using photos from his official duties, specifically from inside the Mayor’s Office at City Hall to promote his company. Hernandez-Thorpe was also asked if he thinks it’s appropriate and doesn’t it create the appearance that the mayor is mixing his elected duties with his business activities. Most importantly, the mayor was asked if he does any business with any client who has had dealings with the City of Antioch and/or has been before the city council for a vote.

Multiple efforts to reach the mayor and his campaign consultant were unsuccessful prior to publication time on Wednesday, October 9, 2024. Please check back later for any updates to this report.

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Governor Newsom awards $130.7 million in Round 3 of program to help 18 California communities

Also creating a collaborative program between the state and targeted communities to streamline the cleanup of encampments

SACRAMENTO – Oct. 4, 2024 — Expanding the state’s unprecedented support for local communities to create new housing and address homelessness, Governor Newsom announced Friday, the state is awarding $130.7 million to 18 local governments to clear homeless encampments and provide shelter, care and support. The grants are from Round 3 of the Encampment Resolution Fund (ERF) awards from the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The Governor also announced new accountability measures, requiring award recipients to adhere to all state housing and homeless laws — as well as remain in compliance with their Housing Elements — or risk losing funding and face other enforcement actions.

The Round 3 funds awarded Friday will go to 12 cities, four counties and two Continuums of Care (CoCs) and are intended to resolve critical encampment concerns and address the housing and health and safety needs of 3,364 people living in encampments, and permanently house 1,565 people.

Of the total amount, the City of Antioch will receive $6,812,686, the City of Richmond was awarded $9,336,746 and the County of Contra Costa was granted $5,708,516. Of the 18 agencies, Contra Costa County scored the highest followed by Richmond.

“We’re supporting local communities’ efforts to get people out of encampments and connected with care and housing across the state. It’s important and urgent work that requires everyone to do their part. The state has committed more than $27 billion to help local governments tackle the homelessness crisis — and we want to see $27 billion worth of results,” said Governor Newsom.

$1 billion in funding to clear encampments

Governor Newsom has made unprecedented investments to address the housing and homelessness crises, with $40 billion invested to help communities create more housing and $27 billion provided to communities for homelessness. Today’s new grants are part of the state’s $1 billion Encampment Resolution Funds (ERF), which help communities address dangerous encampments and support people experiencing unsheltered homelessness.

So far, the program has invested $737 million for 109 projects or encampments across 21 counties, 41 cities and 5 CoCs to help 20,888 people throughout the state, helping 20,888 people transition out of homelessness.

“These grants will ensure local communities take a person-centered, trauma-informed approach as they help their most vulnerable residents transition to safe and stable housing,” said Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency Secretary Tomiquia Moss. “The Encampment Resolution Fund grants are infusing critical resources in communities up and down California so that unhoused Californians can access the essential housing and supportive services they need to achieve long-term stability.”

Greater accountability 

As a condition of receiving the funding, the awardees must agree to increased accountability and compliance measures. These new accountability measures build on the current requirements that all grantees adhere to state and federal laws, rules, and regulations related to construction, health and safety, labor, fair employment practices, environmental protection, equal opportunity, fair housing, and all other matters applicable and/or related to the ERF program. 

The Governor’s new measures expressly require local governments to maintain a compliant housing element, as well as adhere to all planning, permitting, entitlement, fair housing, and homelessness laws.

Non-compliance with these measures may result in the state revoking and clawing back awarded funds in addition to potential enforcement actions by the state’s Housing Accountability Unit. This ensures that grant recipients remain accountable and protects state funding.

Care, compassion, collaboration 

Today’s announcement follows the Governor’s executive order urging local governments to adopt policies and plans consistent with the California Department of Transportation’s (CalTrans) existing encampment policy. 

Prioritizing encampments that pose a threat to the life, health, and safety of the community, Caltrans provides advance notice of clearance and works with local service providers to support those experiencing homelessness at the encampment, and stores personal property collected at the site for at least 60 days.

Since July 2021, California has cleared more than 12,000 encampments and has removed 267,611 cubic yards of debris from encampments along the state right of way in preparation for Clean California projects.

Delegated Maintenance Agreements

The Governor also announced today a new collaborative program that will help streamline the cleanup of encampments by establishing agreements between the state and targeted local communities. The agreements will remove jurisdictional boundaries and allow locals to address encampments on state property and receive reimbursement for their efforts. 

To help provide additional guidance and direction for local governments, the California Interagency Council on Homelessness has posted webinars and resources to help communities address encampments.   

Below are the other 10 cities, three counties and two Continuums of Care awarded Round 3 ERF grants:

• City of Berkeley – $5,395,637
• City of Carlsbad – $2,994,225
• City of Los Angeles – $11,351,281
• City of Palm Springs – $5,106,731
• City of Petaluma – $8,098,978
• City of Redlands — $5,341,800
• City of Sacramento — 18,199,661
• City of San Jose —- $4,821,083
• City of Victorville — $6,365,070
• City of Visalia —- $3,000,000
• County of Riverside — $12,612,779
• County of San Bernardino — $11,000,000
• City and County of San Francisco – $7,975,486
• Humboldt County — Continuum of Care – $3,784,294
• Pasadena –  Continuum of Care – $2,772,801

“Our team is energized by this opportunity to help bring people-centered, Housing First solutions to Californians who are unsheltered throughout the state,” said Gustavo Velasquez, Director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), which has administered ERF since the start of the 2024-25 fiscal year. “Combined with the investments in permanent supportive housing made possible by voter approval of Proposition 1, the state has unprecedented momentum to make monumental progress on a crisis of homelessness that has been growing for decades.”

The awards announced Friday utilize all remaining FY 2023-24 ERF funds. An additional appropriation of $150 million in the FY 2024-25 State Budget allowed HCD to award all eligible ERF Round 3, Window 2 applicants. The budget also included $100 million in ERF funds for FY 2025-26, bringing to $1 billion this investment to address encampments through proven housing solutions. 

Each agency was required to apply for the ERF program.

The grants will provide stable, safe housing for individuals living in encampments in their respective communities. The awarded proposals will assist individuals living in encampments with compassion and dignity by providing a range of housing solutions: permanent housing; interim housing for individuals seeking coordinated entry system resources or housing vouchers; housing navigation services and rapid rehousing subsidies; support for accessing permanent housing by providing security deposits and other moving expenses; and allowing awardees to acquire property for housing. 

Pablo Espinoza, Deputy Director of Communications, CA Department of HCD Media and Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Antioch among 15 cities eligible to participate in ADU Accelerator Program

By Steven Harmon, Policy Analyst/Communications, Office of State Senator Steve Glazer

SACRAMENTO – Senator Steve Glazer, D-Contra Costa, announced a newly created program to encourage the construction of hundreds of Accessory Dwelling Units in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties.

The ADU Accelerator Program, secured in the budget through Senator Glazer’s efforts, offers rebates of up to $15,000 for qualifying ADU plans and projects. This $2.5 million state-funded initiative is intended to facilitate the construction of 350 ADUs among the 15 cities and towns in the East Bay.

“It is no secret the State of California is facing a shortage of available and affordable housing, and no one knows this better than our local cities and towns,” Glazer said. “From my first days in the State Senate, I have been a staunch supporter of cities seeking new and unique ways to spur the production of housing while blending new developments within the fabric of their communities.”

“I’m hoping that cities in my district can show what can be achieved when cities work together with the state on an incentivized program aimed at producing more affordable housing,” Senator Glazer said.

The program, approved in the 2023 budget, will be administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development.

The 15 cities are: Antioch, Brentwood, Clayton, Concord, Danville, Dublin, Lafayette, Moraga, Oakley, Orinda, Pittsburg, San Ramon, Walnut Creek in Contra Costa County and Livermore and Pleasanton in Alameda County.

Qualifying cities must have a Certified Housing Element that meets the substantial compliance requirements of Housing and Community Development.

Below is an overview of the new program along with guidelines to apply and receive funds.

Senate District 7 – ADU Accelerator Program | GUIDELINES

Program Overview

Some cities are taking steps to encourage and facilitate the construction of ADUs through the development of permit-ready plans, including architectural design work. Other cities are waiving processing fees to bring down the cost of housing.

This new program will be piloted by Senator Glazer’s District 7, composed of 15 cities in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. The program will be administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development for the purpose of advancing or “accelerating” the production of 350 ADUs through a series of programs.

Program Funding

Section 19.564 of the Budget Act of 2023 provides $2,500,000 to be allocated by the California Department of Housing and Community Development for implementation of the ADU Accelerator Program (“Program”) to grant funds to cities for the creation of pre-approved permit-ready accessory dwelling unit plans and an incentive program.

Program Eligibility

• Fifteen (15) cities located in Senate District 7, including: Antioch, Brentwood, Clayton, Concord, Danville, Dublin, Lafayette, Livermore, Moraga, Oakley, Orinda, Pittsburg, Pleasanton, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek.
• Qualifying cities must have a Certified Housing Element that meets the substantial compliance requirements of Housing and Community Development.

Program Details

1.      Incentive Program. Available Funding: $1,725,000

A.    Low-Income Restricted ADUs

Provide individual rebates of up to $15,000 to property owners who obtain building permits to construct an ADU and receive a certificate of occupancy within 18 months of issuance. Rebates will be provided for units that are deed restricted to low-income households for a minimum of 20 years; based upon the following sliding scale:

• $15,000 for units < 50 square feet
• $10,000 for units between 501-750 square feet
• $5,000 for units between 751-1,000 square feet
• No rebates for units over 1,000 square feet.

B.     Non-restricted ADUs

Provide individual rebates of up to $7,500 to property owners who obtain building permits to construct an ADU and receive a certificate of occupancy within 18 months of issuance. Rebates will be provided for units that are deed restricted to low-income households for a minimum of 20 years. Funds are awarded based upon the following sliding scale:

• $7,500 for units < 50 square feet
• $5,000 for units between 501-750 square feet
• $2,500 for units between 751-1,000 square feet
• No rebates for units over 1,000 square feet.

Example:

• City of Dublin has a population of 72,917 (as of January 1, 2024)
• Per Capita: $1.87
• Eligible for Award of $136,352 ($1.87 per capita x 72,917 population)
• Divided by average of $5,000 per unit (unrestricted)

Potential ADUs Added: 27 ADUs

2.      Permit Ready Prototype ADU Plans. Available Funding: $750,000

Qualified cities receive funding toward preparing prototypical permit-ready ADU plans (“ADU Plans”), including design elevations and construction drawings. Permit-ready plans are intended to streamline the ADU development process and facilitate additional ADU development in the community. Cities may partner with other cities on applications in this category to leverage investment. The maximum grant per city will be $50,000.

Cities may not be reimbursed for permit-ready ADU plans that were prepared prior to the launch of this program. Program funds may be used to modify or update existing permit-ready ADU plans or to create additional permit-ready ADU plans. Cities may also seek compensation from other eligible cities they share plans with.

Application Process

To receive funds, qualified cities must complete and submit an electronic application to the Town of Danville, Fiscal Agent. All funds must be expended as prescribed below and no later than September 30, 2026, after which these funds would be considered unexpended “Excess Funds” subject to re-allocation. 

Incentive Program

An application must include (a) the anticipated number of units proposed to be produced through the program; and (b) amount requested based on the per capita amount identified in the Funding Eligibility section.

Funding will be distributed to cities upon receipt of the application. Any unused funding must be returned to the Town of Danville, Fiscal Agent, at the end of the 18-month period and may be reallocated to cities that meet their targets and have additional need.

Permit-Ready Prototype ADU Plans

An application must include (a) brief description of the plans to be developed including the number of floor plans and ADU sizes; and (b) requested funding amount. The maximum funding is $50,000 per agency. Cities may partner with other eligible cities on applications in this category to leverage funding investment.

Funding will be distributed to cities upon receipt of the application. Permit-ready plans must be completed and available to prospective permittees within 12 months of grant award and include a city resolution adopting the ADU Plans.

Excess Funds

Any funding that has not been expended pursuant to these program guidelines by September 30, 2026, must be returned to the Fiscal Agent, the Town of Danville. These Excess Funds will be reallocated to other eligible agencies pursuant to the Incentive Program Guidelines. Funds will be re-allocated on a first come, first served basis. In the event of multiple requests, consideration will be given to which city or cities will generate the largest number of affordable units.

Application Deadlines

Applications are accepted via electronic submittal only

Incentive Program: September 1, 2024 – March 31, 2025 (may be extended if additional funds are available to be rolled over from the Permit-Ready program).

Permit-Ready Prototype ADU Plans: September 1, 2024 – March 31, 2025.

Program Administration

As authorized through the California Budget Act of 2023 and the California Department of Housing and Community Development, the Town of Danville will act as the fiscal agent (“Fiscal Agent”) to receive funding applications and distribute Program funds. The Town of Danville will receive a 1% fee ($25,000) for administering the program.

General program questions can be directed to Planning Division c/o Jessica Lam, Town of Danville at jlam@danville.ca.gov or (925) 314-3337.

Applications and application-related correspondence can be directed to SD7.ADUProgram@danville.ca.gov.

Biannual Reporting

Eligible recipients will be required to submit Biannual Progress Reports which summarize the number of ADUs that have been permitted and finaled for the reporting period as well as cumulatively for the life of the program through September 30, 2027.

Biannual Progress Reports will be filed with the Fiscal Agent at SD7.ADUProgram@danville.ca.gov.

*Applications are accepted via electronic submittal only

Cites “finite funding”; would have qualified some for up to $150,000 or 20% down payment; signs 5 other bills

By Allen D. Payton

In a message to the California State Assembly on Thursday, Sept. 6, Governor Gavin Newsom explained his veto of AB1840, Home Purchase Assistance Program: eligibility by Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno) that it’s due to limited funds. He wrote:

“To the Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 1840 without my signature.

This bill seeks to prohibit the disqualification of applicants from one of California Housing Finance Agency’s (CalHFA) home purchase assistance programs based solely on their immigration status.

Given the finite funding available for CalHFA programs, expanding program eligibility must be carefully considered within the broader context of the annual state budget to ensure we manage our resources effectively.

For this reason, I am unable to sign this bill.”

The bill would have allowed some illegal immigrants in California to qualify for the California Dream for All Shared Appreciation Loan program, which would have been renamed under the bill to the Home Purchase Assistance Program, and receive up to $150,000 for a 20% downpayment to purchase their first home.

Newsom also announced on Thursday the bills he signed into law:

AB 1170 by Assemblymember Avelino Valencia (D-Anaheim) – Political Reform Act of 1974: filing requirements.

AB 1770 by the Committee on Emergency Management – Emergency services: Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission: seismic mitigation and earthquake early warning technology.

AB 2094 by Assemblymember Heath Flora (R-Modesto) – Alcoholic beverage control: public community college stadiums: City of Bakersfield.

AB 2436 by Assemblymember Juan Alanis (R-Modesto) – Cattle: inspections: fees.

AB 2721 by the Committee on Agriculture – Food and agriculture: omnibus bill.

For full text of the bills, visit: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.

Up to $150,000 for a 20% down payment, awaits Newsom’s signature or veto

Glazer votes against, Grayson for

By Allen D. Payton

The California State Senate passed the bill, on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, to give home loan down payments to illegal immigrants on a 25-14 vote with 1 Democrat abstaining from voting. It follows the action in May by the Assembly, which passed it on a 56-15 vote with 6 Democrats and 3 Republicans not voting. Now the controversial Assembly Bill 1840 is on Governor Newsom’s desk awaiting his decision.

State Senator Nancy Skinner (D-SD9) who represents portions of West Contra Costa County voted yes, while State Senator Steve Glazer (D-SD7), who represents the rest of the county including Antioch, voted against the bill authored by Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula (D-AD31) of Fresno. As previously reported, all four Assemblymembers representing Contra Costa County, including Tim Grayson (D-AD15), Lori Wilson (D-AD11), Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-AD16) and Buffy Wicks (D-AD14), voted to pass the bill.

It would expand eligibility of the California Dream for All Shared Appreciation Loan program, to be renamed under the bill to the Home Purchase Assistance Program, by removing any disqualifications based on an applicant’s immigration status. If approved, illegal immigrants could enter the lottery system under the program and qualify for the 20% in down payment assistance up to $150,000.

However, not all illegal immigrants would qualify for the program. Under AB 1840, only those with taxpayer ID numbers or Social Security numbers could apply. According to the language of the bill “This bill would specify that an applicant who meets all other requirements for a loan under the program and who is otherwise eligible under applicable federal and state law, shall not be disqualified solely based on the applicant’s immigration status.”

According to a June 28, 2024, press release from the governor’s office, out of 18,000 people who applied to the program this year, only 1,700 were chosen and according to a report by KQED, in 2013, the program ran out of money in the first 11 days. The bill would greatly expand the number of applicants, due to the California Dream program targeting low- to middle-income first-time buyers.

According to the program details, “The Dream for All Shared Appreciation Loan is a down payment assistance program for first-time homebuyers to be used in conjunction with the Dream For All Conventional first mortgage for down payment and/or closing costs. Upon sale or transfer of the home, the homebuyer repays the original down payment loan, plus a share of the appreciation in the value of the home.” In addition, one borrower must be a first-generation homebuyer and all borrowers must be first-time homebuyers.

Contact the Governor

To contact the governor to offer your input on how he should respond to the bill use the online form on the office’s website at www.gov.ca.gov/contact/. But you’ll have to select Immigration Issues/Concerns and write AB1840 in the comment as it is not currently in the Active Bills list. You can also call Newsom’s office at (916) 445-2841 and leave a message with or for his staff.

By Allen D. Payton

According to campaign finance reports known as Form 460’s, as of June 30th, former Antioch mayor Don Freitas had raised the most money of the three candidates running for city council in District 3, with a total of $5,055. But an additional $2,500 received on August 11th brings his total to $7,555 raised with all but $55 in the form of monetary contributions.

His report for the period of Jan. 1 through June 30, 2024, shows he raised $5,000 in monetary contributions including $2,000 from himself, all from within Antioch, and an additional $55 in non-monetary, referred to as an in-kind contribution, which were for fees he paid out of pocket to form his campaign committee and to the bank where its account is located.

The other contributions received were $2,000 from Susan Kennedy of Antioch, a Senior Policy Advisor in the U.S. House of Representatives and $1,000 from his campaign treasurer, Stephanie Bonham of Antioch, who is listed as retired.

Since the close of the reporting period, Freitas filed a Form 497 which shows he had received an additional $2,500 on Aug. 11 from GBN Partners of Danville, which stands for Ginocchio, Blackhawk, Nunn, land developers for the already approved Promenade projects north and south of Sand Creek Road. The Form 497 is required for state and local committees making or receiving contributions that total $1,000 or more in the 90 days before an election. It brings Freitas’ total to $7,500 raised for his campaign.

That compares to the $3,411 that second-time candidate Antwon Webster raised, which were all loans from himself, as previously reported, and $4,056.88 that was raised by the third candidate in the race, newcomer Addison Peterson. Of that amount $1,500 was an in-kind contribution from his wife for website design, $1,980 in loans, and $576.88 in monetary contributions. But Peterson did not provide details for the loans which were included in his Form 460 report for the period ending June 30th, as it appears there were received after. Questions about his campaign finance report were sent on Tuesday and await a response.

Freitas’ greatest expenditures were $1,500 to Carla Marymee of Antioch for website development and $450 to Mark Marymee of Fremont for photography. Asked why he didn’t use a photographer in Antioch, instead, the candidate responded, “He is Carla’s former husband, and they work together on the websites she develops. The business really is Carla’s, Rivertown Communications Marketing.”

Freitas’ original Form 460 showed a total of $2,063.18 in expenditures. But he submitted an Amended report a week later showing a corrected amount for total expenditures of $2,062.20, a reduction of $0.98 which was from a change in the cost for campaign checks paid to Travis Credit Union, where the committee’s account was opened. That left him with an Ending Cash Balance of $2,937.80 to spend on his campaign before the $2,500 contribution on August 11th. See Freitas’s Form 460 and Form 460 Amended.

The election is November 5th.

Please check back later for any updates to this report.

Removed from all nine Bay Area counties after Contra Costa attorney opposed to measure filed lawsuit claiming ballot language was slanted, forced BAHFA to correct more than $240 million error

20 Billion Reasons opposition campaign responds

By Allen D. Payton

Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) Chair Alfredo Pedroza and Belia Ramos, president of the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)’s Executive Board today, Wednesday, August 14, 2024, issued a joint statement following BAHFA’s decision this morning to remove a $20 billion general obligation bond measure for the production and preservation of affordable housing from the November 5 general election ballot in all nine Bay Area counties:

“The BAHFA Board’s decision to withdraw the affordable housing bond measure from this November’s ballot is not one that was taken lightly. The Bay Area’s housing affordability crisis has been decades in the making and is far too big for any one city or county to solve on its own. This is the reason the state Legislature established BAHFA. A robust source of funding for safe and affordable housing across our diverse, nine-county region is essential to the Bay Area’s economic and environmental health and to its residents’ quality of life. 

The decision followed the action of a group of Bay Area residents, known as Opportunity Now, who opposed the $20 billion regional housing bond measure and filed a court challenge on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, to Regional Measure 4’s (RM4) 75-word ballot question claiming it was slanted.

Following is the press release from the group announcing the lawsuit, entitled “BAHFA blunders on ballot language for Bay Area tax measure” and “Gets busted for wildly lowballing cost to taxpayers”:

“Talk about misinformation. The discredited Bay Area Housing Finance Authority yesterday admitted that they’d misrepresented in ballot language the annual cost to taxpayers of the mammoth bond by (hold on) more than $240 million (you read that right) per year.

“The Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA), a recently created regional agency, placed RM4 on the November 5 ballot. The unprecedented size of the bond measure has already drawn opposition. 

The 20BillionReasons.com group helped pull together ballot arguments rebutting the claims for the measure. The lawsuit asserts that the ballot question is slanted to prejudice voters to vote in favor of the measure. 

BAHFA conducted multiple polls to test various phrases in relation to the measure and picked the most popular ones. The lawsuit asserts that the ballot question contains a series of phrases that are not found in the language of the measure. The legal standard is that the ballot question must be an accurate synopsis.

Opponents’ Attorney Jason Bezis sent BAHFA a letter last Friday demanding a series of nine language changes to remove prejudicial language. Opponents assert that the true annual cost of the measure is nearly 36% higher than the amount shown in the ballot question. 

The very name of the measure is deceptive: Bay Area Affordable Plan. This measure’s taxes will make the Bay Area even less affordable. In response, BAHFA held a special meeting of its Executive Committee this morning. 

The lawsuit has already had success: The Committee adopted General Counsel Kathleen Kane’s recommendation “to correct the Ballot Question for Regional Measure 4 by deleting ‘$670,000,000’ from the Ballot Question and replacing it with ‘$910,976,423’.” No other changes to the ballot question were adopted today. 

General Counsel Kane described this as a “mathematical error”. Plaintiff Marc Joffe retorted: “How can the public trust an agency that can’t do basic arithmetic with nearly $50 billion of its taxes? Ridiculous.”

“By law, Regional Measure 4 is coordinated by the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters, so the Santa Clara County Superior Court is where this challenge was filed. The final language of the RM4 ballot question will now be determined by the court. See www.NoOnRM4.com for further information.”

“This public body, MTC in the form BAHFA, they finally acknowledged the public is not willing to support more taxes. It’s completely new to them. They’ve never recognized it before. They exist in this world in which the public is there to give them all the resources they want to monkey around with,” said David Schonbrunn, paralegal for the lawsuit said after the measure was removed from the ballot. “The worst part is MTC, when it comes to their transportation decision making, they have a dismal record on outcomes. Their outcomes are horrible. What I see them doing is it’s all about political deal making and it’s not about delivering solutions to the public.”

The BAHFA statement continued, “The BAHFA Board has always understood that it would be a steep climb to establish this source of funding. Recent developments have led the Board to conclude that the wise choice is to look ahead to another election season for a regional housing measure when there is more certainty and the voters have weighed in affirmatively on Proposition 5.

“In the meantime, BAHFA will continue to work on increasing the production of housing at all income levels, to preserve existing affordable housing, and to protect current residents from displacement. This includes maintaining, refining and expanding pilot programs such as the online Doorway Housing portal that makes it easier for prospective tenants to find and apply for affordable housing throughout the region and easier for developers and property managers to lease up their apartments; working to move thousands of planned housing units through the predevelopment pipeline; and implementing innovative programs to preserve affordable housing and prevent homelessness.

“BAHFA’s commitment to a regional approach toward solving the Bay Area’s housing affordability problems is stronger than ever. When the climb toward passage of a regional revenue measure resumes, the Board looks forward to teaming with every one of the Bay Area’s nine counties and 101 cities; and with the hundreds of other public, private and nonprofit partners who already have invested so much energy into this effort. Their work to prepare for a November bond measure, and the relationships built along the way, have laid a strong foundation for future success. Each step brings us closer to the summit.”

BAHFA is jointly governed by the ABAG’s Executive Board and by the BAHFA Board, which is comprised of the same membership as the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC). BAHFA and MTC Chair Pedroza and ABAG Executive Board President Ramos both also serve as members of the Napa County Board of Supervisors. 

20 Billion Reasons Campaign Responds

In response to the withdrawal of the measure from the ballot, the opposition campaign, 20 Billion Reasons, responded with their own statement on Wednesday, August 14, 2024:

“This morning, the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) voted to pull Regional Measure 4, the $20 billion dollar regional bond measure, off the November ballot. Gus Mattammal, President of the 20 Billion Reasons campaign to defeat the bond measure in November, hailed the move.

Said Mattammal, “This decision is a win for Bay Area taxpayers, and a win for affordable housing. To address housing affordability in a meaningful way, we have to address root causes, not soak taxpayers for billions of dollars to pay bonds that would waste two thirds of their tax money on interest and overhead while barely making a dent in the issue.”

The 20 Billion Reasons campaign brought together Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, and Independents in a single campaign, a rarity in recent times, but a necessity.

“Actually, working on the root causes of the housing crisis in California – a crisis created by our legislature and the corporate interests to which they are beholden – is politically difficult. It’s much easier to simply raise taxes,” said Mattammal. “That’s why it’s so important for voters to say ‘no’ to deeply flawed proposals such as Regional Measure 4: every time we do say no, it helps create the political conditions to work on the problem in a meaningful way.”

Though Regional Measure 4 is off the ballot for November, many other expensive proposals remain on that ballot. The $20 Billion Reasons campaign team is excited to regroup and consider the best way forward to help ensure that Bay Area taxpayers are getting real solutions for the taxes they pay and that they have a real voice in what is done with their tax money.”

John Goodwin, Assistant Director of Communications, Rebecca Long, Director, Legislation & Public Affairs, Metropolitan Transportation Commission contributed to this report.