The 2018 midterm elections are coming up quickly; college campuses across the country are pushing students and community members to register to vote. We all know that we should vote, but sometimes we underestimate how much our vote can contribute to change in our communities and in the lives of those around us. If you’re looking for a reason to vote this election season, consider voting in order to help the low income and homeless in our communities.
As we all know, California is an extremely expensive state to live in. But just how much more difficult is it to live here for those in low income brackets than in other states? Well, according to smartasset.com, the typical rent for a studio apartment in California is $1,680 a month, which $618 more than the national average. This is just one application of just how much more expensive the cost of living is in California. If we look at not just cost of living, but the issue of homelessness as a consequence of this, we can see California also rises above national standards here. California accounts for one quarter of the total homeless population of the U.S. Additionally, the New York Times reported,”worst case scenario” households have “ballooned continuously through much of the last decade, while wages have remained flat.”
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Now, in light of all of this you may be thinking, “How is my vote in the midterm election going to be able to make even a dent in such a huge issue?” Well, there are two of the measures on California’s ballot this season that could help make a huge difference in affordable housing and care for the homeless. Voting yes on Prop 1 and 2, can help to build and preserve affordable housing and allocate funds towards this issue.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what each proposition will do if passed.
Proposition 1
If passed, prop 1 will create and maintain affordable housing for low income members of the community that include regularly at-risk groups like veterans, the disabled, and working families. It’s going to set aside $4 billion in bonds that are intended to pay for the support of the previously mentioned affordable housing programs.
Proposition 2
Prop 2 dives further into deep-rooted causes of the homelessness epidemic, namely mental illness. If passed it would take funds that were left over from a 2004 proposition, and repurpose them towards creating permanent housing support and mental health services for homeless people and those at risk of becoming homeless that are suffering from mental illness. This is extremely important as 20-25% of the homeless population suffer from severe mental illness, compared to only 6% of the national population (The National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009).
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These propositions propose great support measures to help begin to address the issue of homelessness in California. However, all of this prospective change is meaningless without your vote and support. So, if you’re registered to vote, do it. If for nothing else, do it for those who may not be able to advocate for themselves. Vote yes on prop 1 and 2 to help support affordable housing and resources for the homeless! If you’re interested in any other ballot measures feel free to check out this link for more information!