Case study: 50.8% majority in 1950 still blocking affordable housing
Constitutional amendment via narrow, biased majority
Article 34 of the California Constitution requires certain publicly subsidized housing developments to first go to local voters. On the ballot in 1950 as Proposition 10, it barely passed with a 50.8% majority. The campaign appealed heavily to white fears of racial integration and socialism. Its goal was to empower existing residents to block public housing, and it passed thanks to disproportionately high turnout among white homeowners.
Impossible to undo
The Cold War has long since ended. California has committed itself to racial equity. Yet Article 34 remains. Repeal or amendment efforts failed at the ballot in 1974, 1980, and 1993. A 2024 legislative attempt also failed – in part due to lack of campaign funding. Even with consensus in the Legislature, repeal still requires an expensive statewide ballot campaign. This hurdle has proven insurmountable.
Housing, equity, and climate consequences
Tens of thousands of affordable homes have been directly blocked at the ballot by Article 34. An unknowable number of developments were deterred from even being attempted. Time and money have been wasted on partial workarounds and failed repeals. Article 34’s contribution to the housing shortage disproportionately affects low-income people and people of color, pushing families toward lower-cost areas with longer commutes and greater exposure to climate change. Residents are also forced into a more energy-intensive lifestyle, as they are excluded from walkable communities.
We can do better
Good Government California is guided by three principles for good government: inclusive process, balance of power, and care & flexibility to match the stakes. The passage and persistence of Article 34 demonstrates a failure of all three. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Learn about our approach, explore ideas for reform, and become a part of the solution.
Further reading: 1950 election record · Why it’s been so hard to kill Article 34 · Abundant Housing LA · California Shelves Repeal · CARB climate policy tool
