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Prop. 15 Do-Over? Measure Calling for Commercial Tax Increase May Show Up on 2022 Ballot

A request for a ballot measure called the “Housing Affordability and Tax Cut Act of 2022” has been submitted to the California Attorney General’s office.

Published

5 years ago

October 4, 2021

Christy Price

Ballot box with US state flag on background - California/ iStock

A request for a ballot measure called the “Housing Affordability and Tax Cut Act of 2022” has been submitted to the California Attorney General’s office. If supporters of the constitutional amendment meet all requirements and collect enough signatures to qualify it, the proposition could appear on the November 2022 general election ballot.

The legislation includes a call to increase property taxes on commercial real estate owners in California. Currently, commercial owners in the state pay property taxes based on the value the property when it was purchased — not the market value.

It is a tax code arrangement that some critics say results in the loss of billions of dollars in revenue for the state each year.

The motivation behind the measure, its supporters say, is to create streams of new state revenue that could be used to combat the state’s housing availability and affordability crises. Among other things, the measure calls for an increase of the tax exemption for eligible California homeowners and a tax relief for renters.

Stanley R. Apps, proponent of the measure, says he intends for the proposition to code into law a substantial property tax exemption for homeowners. In the ‘Purpose and Intent’ section of the proposal, it states, “Since 1972, homeowners have only received a $7,000 property tax exemption, even though the median home price has grown from $28,660 to over $700,000. An increase in this exemption is long overdue. This Act will increase the exemption to $200,000.”

The proposed increase would save most homeowners nearly $2,000 in taxes per year, making housing more affordable for middle and working-class families.

Section 5 of the ballot measure’s language specifically proposes that all property in the state, including commercial real estate, be taxed at a rate that is based on “fair market value.” It also calls for an annual surcharge on all property worth $5 million or more.

If this measure sounds familiar, you may be thinking about Proposition 15 which appeared on last November’s ballot. The proposition also calls for a commercial property increase. California voters rejected the measure.

Prop 15 was drafted in response to Proposition 13, which passed in 1978 and set the current precedent for commercial taxing rates in California.

Critics say Prop 13 led to a 60% decrease in property tax revenue collected by local governments the year after the proposition was passed. Prop 15 would have called for owners of commercial property of a combined value of over $3 million to pay property taxes based on the current value while protecting owners of property under $3 million and owners of agricultural and residential property.

Those opposed to Prop 15 argued that most of the proposed tax burden would fall on renters of the property instead of the owners themselves due to clauses in lease agreements.

The new 2022 act has raised the value to $5 million for the adjusted taxes to take affect and also includes clauses that mandate property owners must take responsibility for the new taxes and may not pass the burden down to tenants.

Although, opponents of the Housing Affordability and Tax Cut Act of 2022 make direct comparisons between it and Prop 15, one distinction between the two proposals that stand out is that the new initiative focuses on housing. Taxes raised from Prop 15 would have supported public education.

Institutions that opposed Prop 15 are prepared to mobilize once again to fight against the new measure. In a press release from the California Business Roundtable, President Rob Lapsey issued this statement in response to the proposal.

“The voters of California already made their position on higher taxes clear last year when they defeated Proposition 15, the largest property tax increase in California history. Today, all Californians continue to pay the highest cost of living while businesses are struggling with a sluggish recovery, a crippling labor shortage and a new tax increase to pay off the massive state-created debt in the Unemployment Insurance Fund. While California needs housing reforms to increase supply and improve affordability, a huge tax increase on homeowners, small business owners and renters is not a solution. We are ready to mobilize our broad coalition to once again defeat this measure in 2022.”

Read the Housing Affordability and Tax Cut Act of 2022 in its entirety.

Christy Price

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Oakland Post: Week of May 6 – 12, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of may 6 – 12, 2026

Published

3 days ago

May 10, 2026

Oakland Post

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Up to the Job: How San Francisco’s PRC Is Providing Work Opportunities That Turn Into Lasting Stability

Each year, PRC serves more than 5,000 clients through a wide range of programs. These include housing navigation, legal advocacy to ensure access to health and public benefits, supportive housing, job and life-skills training, and residential treatment programs.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 26, 2026

Oakland Post

Black Leadership Council (BLC) Advocacy Day in Sacramento. BLC works to advance meaningful change through policy engagement to unlock the full potential of Black and low-income communities. Photo courtesy of PRC.

By Joe Kocurek, California Black Media

Seville Christian arrived in San Francisco in the 1990s from Kansas City, Mo., a transgender woman coming from a time and place still hostile to who she was.

San Francisco offered a deeper LGBTQ+ history and a more visible community of people like her, but even in a city known for acceptance, building a stable life from scratch was no small task.

After arriving in the city, she turned to Positive Resource Center (PRC) looking for work — and for a foothold — in a new place.

“PRC gave me my first job,” Christian said. “A simple gig — passing out magazines at the San Francisco Pride Parade.”

That first opportunity marked the beginning of a decades-long relationship with PRC, one that has seen Christian grow from client to valued employee, and eventually to policy fellow.

“Today, I’ve been with PRC for 27 years, going on 28,” she said.

Seville Christian’s decades-long relationship with PRC includes as a client, fellow and beloved employee. Photo courtesy of PRC.

Helping people access employment and build sustainable careers has been a cornerstone of PRC’s mission since its inception nearly four decades ago. In its most recent annual impact report, PRC served 443 clients through workforce development services, including career counseling, educational programs, hands-on training, and job search assistance. The average wage earned by PRC clients is $26.48 per hour — approximately 38% above San Francisco’s minimum wage.

To advance this work, organizations like PRC have benefited from funding through California’s Stop the Hate Program, which provides direct support to community-based organizations leading anti-hate initiatives.

Christian’s path was not without challenges. During some rocky years, she experienced periods of housing instability and struggled with addiction. Through PRC, she enrolled in a life-skills program that emphasized using her own lived experience as a means of helping others. The program helped set her on a path toward completing an associate’s degree and ultimately launching a career in case management.

“Today, whether someone is new to the city or has lived here their whole life, I know how to help them navigate to where they need to be,” Christian said.

Members of PRC’s Black Leadership Council meet with a lawmaker in Sacramento. Photo courtesy of PRC.

While PRC was founded to serve people living with HIV, its mission has expanded over the decades to meet the needs of people with disabilities, individuals experiencing homelessness, and those facing mental health and substance use challenges.

According to PRC’s Chief of Public Policy and Public Affairs, Tasha Henneman, some of the organization’s earliest programs remain as vital today as they were at the start.

“Our emergency financial assistance program helped more than 1,200 people this year pay rent, cover medical bills, and keep the lights on,” Henneman said. “And over 1,400 people reached out for legal advocacy, resulting in more than $2.5 million in retroactive benefits unlocked.”

Beyond direct services, PRC is deeply committed to community empowerment and policy change. Programs such as the Black Leadership Council support community leaders in advocating for systemic reform, while the Black Trans Initiative focuses on addressing the unique challenges faced by Black transgender individuals.

A recent study from the Williams Institute highlighted findings that 71% of transgender homicide victims in the U.S. between 2010 and 2021 were Black and that nearly a third of the transgender homicides during that period were confirmed or suspected hate crimes.

PRC’s direct and indirect services can be a lifeline for people experiencing hate and are an example of the resources people can get connected with through the state’s CA vs Hate hotline.

PRC is now also producing a film project that centers the lived experiences of Black trans clients, including individuals like Christian.

PRC welcomed guests to their annual Open House in April, an evening dedicated to connection, reflection, and learning more about the programs and people working every day to support San Franciscans experiencing housing instability, unemployment, and behavioral health challenges. Photo courtesy of PRC.

“Our film highlights the health journeys and lived experiences of some of PRC’s Black trans clients,” Henneman said. “Our goal is to give voice, visibility, and agency to the participants — and to bring their stories, both harrowing and inspirational, to policymakers and the broader public.”

The film, expected to be released later this year, is directed by Yule Caise, with assistant director Zarina Codes, a Black transgender San Francisco resident.

Today, Christian continues her relationship with PRC as an ambassador, reflecting on a journey that began with a single job opportunity and grew into a lifelong commitment to service.

“Sometimes I’ll be riding the bus or standing in a grocery store, and someone will come up to me from a women’s shelter,” she said. “They’ll say, ‘Oh, Miss Seville, I just want to thank you. You really helped me with what I was dealing with.’”

She paused, smiling.

“And in those moments,” Christian said, “I think to myself, “Well!.”

A single word that sums up pride in a journey to find the best in herself.

Get Support After Hate:

California vs Hate is a non-emergency, multilingual hotline and online portal offering confidential support for hate crimes and incidents. Victims and witnesses can get help anonymously by calling 833-8-NO-HATE (833-866-4283), Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. PT, or online at any time. Anonymous. Confidential. No Police. No ICE.

This story was produced in partnership with CA vs Hate. Join them for the first-ever CA Civil Rights Summit on May 11, 2026. More information at www.cavshate.org/summit.