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California Voters Decide Eminent Domain Measures

Voters in California soundly rejected Proposition 98, a ballot measure that would have phased out rent control.

In Los Angeles alone, it would have affected 626,000 apartments and other rentals, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The proposition, which would have banned governments from taking private property for redevelopment, was defeated 61 percent to 39 percent in the June 3 election.

Affordable housing advocates said the proposal was really aimed at eliminating rent control.

The defeat of Prop. 98 was the first of two victories for affordable housing advocates. A counterproposal, Proposition 99, won with 62.5 percent of the votes in unofficial results. Advocates said this is a more limited measure that will prevent government from using eminent domain to take an owner-occupied home to give to a private developer.

In San Francisco, voters endorsed plans for a major housing and commercial development at the Hunters Point Shipyard and Candlestick Point. A development plan still needs approval from city leaders. At the same time, a proposition that would have required half of the new homes in the development to be affordable to low- and moderate-income residents was defeated.