As of Wednesday evening, preliminary results showed that East Palo Alto’s Measure JJ, an amendment to Measure L that would give the 2.5% parcel tax to more specific uses, seemed to pass this week with 2,601 votes, or 76% in favor.
East Palo Alto voters passed Measure L in 2022, which raised a business tax from 1.5% to 2.5% of a landlord’s gross rental income to pay for housing rights in the area. Landlords are not allowed to charge their tenants for this fee, though.
Measure L also made the tax more general, so owners with fewer than five properties were also subject to it. There were some exceptions, though. Nonprofits that give out affordable housing and accessory dwelling units are two examples of exemptions.
The tax money, which was expected to bring in about $1.48 million a year, was going to be used for “general government work,” such as providing cheap housing, helping tenants pay their rent, and keeping people from having to move.
A website in support of JJ says that it will make it clear where the tax money goes by telling city officials to “spend this money how the voters understood it was to be spent.”
The San Mateo County League of Women Voters says that Measure JJ would make sure that at least 30% of the money raised would go to helping renters, no more than 20% would go to staff and overhead costs to run the tax, and the rest would be used by the city as it saw fit for affordable housing and other safety measures for residents.
The City Council of East Palo Alto voted unanimously in favor of the measure, as did Stewart Hyland, who used to be the organizing head for the Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County. There was no public opposition.