Friend,
The coming months will bring major opportunities and consequential decisions for affordable housing across the country, and especially here in California, where People’s Self-Help Housing focuses its work. As voters prepare to head to the polls, housing advocates are watching closely because the decisions made this midterm election cycle will influence housing policy for many years to come.
For Californians concerned about housing affordability, one measure stands above the rest: the proposed $11.25B statewide housing bond. This historic investment recognizes a simple reality: California’s housing crisis cannot be solved without substantial public funding to leverage matching private capital, and long-term commitment. For those able to participate, please can I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the provisions of Prop 1, and share widely with your networks.
Currently, for many people, engaging in politics can feel challenging. That is why I am especially grateful to those groups such as the National Community Reinvestment Coalition who remain focused on how public policy decisions affect us all. One issue deserving close attention is the growing effort to weaken the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). For nearly 50 years, the CRA has encouraged banks and financial institutions to invest in low and moderate-income communities, helping direct capital toward affordable housing, community development, and economic opportunity. The benefits created by private-public partnerships are visible in many People’s projects and without access to this vital stream of private capital, certain developments currently in our pipeline will be severely impacted.
While policies and regulations are often debated in abstract terms, their impacts are deeply personal. They determine whether a family can afford a safe home near their child’s school, whether an older adult can remain connected to the community after retirement, and whether essential workers can live close to the jobs that sustain our local economy. Housing is more than a policy issue. It is the foundation for opportunity, economic mobility, and thriving communities.
The proposed housing bond and the debate surrounding the CRA reinforce the same lesson: we already know what works. When public funding, private investment, nonprofit expertise, and community leadership come together, they create housing opportunities that immeasurably transform lives.

Ken Trigueiro, CEO & President
On behalf of the People’s Team