March 2024 California Primary Voter Guide

March 2024 California Primary Voter Guide

California has an important primary election in March 2024 to determine who will be on the ballot in November. In addition to the attention-grabbing offices at the top of the ballot, Californians have the opportunity to support housing champions up and down the state to our Legislature to address our state-wide housing shortage. YIMBY Action and our California chapters are excited to announce our endorsements for the following pro-housing candidates

Endorsement Explanations

California State Assembly

BuffyWicks

CA State Assembly District 14

Buffy Wicks

Buffy Wicks showed Californians what true grit looks like when she took personal risk during shelter-in-place to show up on the Assembly floor with her newborn and speak up for SB 1120. From her first year in the Assembly, Assemblymember Wicks has led on housing issues, with keen insight on policy details that have an outsized impact on housing. Combined with the courage to move forward on important bills even when they face resistance, Buffy Wicks has become a crucial housing champion in Sacramento. She has authored and co-authored powerful bills on a broad range of housing issues, including a state-wide rental registry, housing element strengthening and important permit streamlining legislation, and dozens more. We need more legislators like Assemblymember Wicks, who see the human cost of our housing crisis, give it the attention it deserves, and fight to build the homes we need at a scale that counts.

Endorsing chapters
  • East Bay YIMBY
matt-haney-2022

CA State Assembly District 17

Matt Haney

Since arriving in Sacramento, Assemblymember Matt Haney has immediately gotten to work to champion housing. In addition to strong votes, he carried an important bill, AB 1114, to close loopholes abused by San Francisco to delay housing. Haney has also worked on office-to-housing conversions and prioritized limiting the cost burdens for renters, bringing his perspective as one of the few renters and chairing the California Legislative Renters’ Caucus.

Endorsing chapters
  • San Francisco YIMBY
miabonta

CA State Assembly District 18

Mia Bonta

Mia Bonta is a consistent vote for housing, focused on the deep need for subsidized affordable housing and strong tenants protections. In her questionnaire, Mia told us:

In general, new housing should be built in traditionally single-family neighborhoods which held exclusionary zoning ordinances that discouraged growth and discriminated against people of color, and near transit hubs as a form of transit-oriented development to address the nexus between the climate crisis and transportation/vehicle miles traveled to and from employment. However, above all else, it is critical that new housing developments not fuel displacement and gentrification.
Endorsing chapters
  • East Bay YIMBY
Catherine Stefani 2024

California State Assembly District 19

Catherine Stefani

One might assume that the Supervisor representing wealthy neighborhoods like Pacific Heights and the Marina would be a NIMBY against housing. However, we are excited to endorse Supervisor Catherine Stefani who far exceeds expectations. While she may not be the loudest pro-housing voice, Supervisor Stefani stands for the rule of law and consistent standards applied to housing. Although the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is majority anti-housing, Catherine Stefani has bravely voted for housing projects and against baseless appeals. She voted in support of headline housing projects like 469 Stevenson Street (the Nordstrom parking lot project) and 1151 Washington Street.

We expect Catherine Stefani to continue her pro-housing goals in the Assembly, a body that is much more supportive of housing. She explicitly supports more housing in her Assembly District. She also writes unambiguously in our questionnaire “we need to prioritize building all types of housing in exclusionary communities.” Further, she writes “I am also committed to ensuring that cities and counties across the state do their fair share in terms of building housing, and if they don’t, hold them accountable through closing loopholes within the Housing Accountability Act. “

We encourage Supervisor Stefani to sponsor legislation in the Assembly that aligns with her good-governance ethos, such as strengthening the Housing Accountability Act where it may conflict with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Endorsing chapters
  • San Francisco YIMBY
  • Northern Neighbors
  • Grow the Richmond
  • Southside Forward
marcBerman

California State Assembly District 23

Marc Berman

Marc Berman is a proud, full-throated supporter of landmark housing legislation to end exclusionary zoning. With roots in Palo Alto, Assemblymember Berman understands that it is not sustainable for communities to keep saying ‘no’ to new housing as the housing crisis continues. Assemblymember Berman believes in supporting cities to build the homes their communities so desperately need.

Assemblymember Berman has supported and co-authored bills that generate new funding for affordable housing, that streamline the approval process of certain urban infill projects, and that set baseline standards for zoning. With his in-depth technical expertise and legislative skill, Assemblymember Berman is helping the state make huge strides in ending the housing crisis.

Endorsing chapters
  • Peninsula for Everyone
  • South Bay YIMBY
alexlee_vertical

California State Assembly District 24

Alex Lee

Alex Lee continues to bring much-needed perspective as a renter and a Gen Z leader in the Assembly. Legislative wins in the last year include AB 835, which allows the state to explore single-stair buildings, a successful prototype for affordable missing middle homes all over the world that currently isn't allowed per the California Building code.

He is a champion for all of the above strategies, from bills to improve housing production to social housing.

Endorsing chapters
  • South Bay YIMBY
  • East Bay YIMBY
Esmeralda Soria

California State Assembly District 27

Esmeralda Soria

Esmeralda Soria has been a strong vote for housing in the Central Valley, having previously worked to address the housing shortage in Fresno as a member of the City Council prior to being elected to the legislature in 2022. We are impressed by her commitment and reminded the housing shortage affects all Californians and we have work to do to ensure housing abundance throughout the state

Every Californian deserves a place to call home. Housing should not be a privilege of the few, but a right for all. As we stand on the precipice of change, let's champion a vision where our neighborhoods are inclusive, vibrant, and thriving. Together, we can build a California where 'Yes In My Backyard' isn't just a slogan, but a heartfelt commitment to progress and prosperity for every resident.
Gail Pellerin

California State Assembly District 28

Gail Pellerin

Gail Pellerin joined the state assembly in 2022 after many years serving as the Santa Cruz County Clerk. She is committed to finding policy solutions to create more housing for the middle class, increase funding for low-income and supportive housing, and improve public transit and active transportation infrastructure to make our cities more climate friendly.

Endorsing chapters
  • Santa Cruz YIMBY
  • South Bay YIMBY
rivas

California State Assembly District 29

Robert Rivas

Speaker Robert Rivas is a true housing champion in the Legislature. He has prioritized and championed housing since taking over as Speaker and has consistently been a strong voice for housing abundance in his time in Sacramento. He is deeply committed to safe, affordable housing for all of his constituents from middle-class families to farmworkers.

Endorsing chapters
  • Santa Cruz YIMBY
  • South Bay YIMBY
Jed Leano

California State Assembly District 41

Jed Leano

YIMBY Action is proud to endorse Jed Leano. He is committed to solving the housing shortage and has made it front and center in his campaign for State Assembly. Jed is a champion currently serving on the Claremont City Council. His endorsements include strong YIMBYs such as State Senator Scott Wiener, State Assemblymember Alex Lee, and San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu, as well as fellow pro-housing organizations including Abundant Housing Los Angeles and the Housing Action Coalition.

Nick Schultz

California State Assembly District 44

Nick Schultz

CH24 Headshot Horizontal

California State Assembly District 47

Christy Holstege

“The more housing that is built – at both affordable and market rates – the more people we will be able to get on a path toward long term housing stability and home ownership. Furthermore, it is vitally important that we center our new developments around transit corridors, especially areas that are easily accessed by public transportation.”
Rick Chavez Zbur

California Assembly District 51

Rick Chavez Zbur

Rick Chavez Zbur has brought his deep experience on statewide and local issues to Sacremento and taken crucial votes in committee to support housing legislation to expanding housing statewide by supporting bills such as SB4 which allows production of affordable housing on religious land and SB423, which expands one of the most productive housing bills of the past decade both in scope for the next decade plus.

Jessica Caloza

California State Assembly District 52

Jessica Caloza

Jessica Caloza will bring her experience at the California Department of Justice and the Housing Strike Force to bring housing abundance to the state while protecting vulnerable tenants. We look forward to the experience she will contribute in Sacramento on Day 1.

In the State Assembly, I will be an unrelenting champion for affordable housing, fighting tirelessly to ensure cities and counties have the tools they need to address our housing crisis. This includes the need to preserve, fast-track, and streamline all housing, especially affordable housing and protecting renters from unlawful evictions.”
Dulce Vasquez

California State Assembly District 57

Dulce Vasquez

YIMBY Action is proud to endorse Dulce Vasquez for California Assembly District 57. She is a proven housing leader endorsed by fellow housing orgs including Affordable Housing Los Angeles, the Housing Action Coalition, and California YIMBY

Clarissa Cervantes

California State Assembly District 58

Clarissa Cervantes

Clarissa Cervantes has worked in the City of Riverside where she serves on the City Council to bring more housing options for all in her community, including leading the way with building housing in her district. She will bring the same vision of delivering more housing of all types for Californians in the Assembly

sharonQuirkSilva-1817x2048

CA State Assembly District 67

Sharon Quirk-Silva

From her years as a public school teacher, Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva has seen the impacts of housing instability and homelessness on kids and families. As the parent of young adults, she knows the challenge of launching them into independence when there is no affordable place for young professionals just starting out. These experiences have made Sharon Quirk-Silva a true champion for housing! She states:

I’m proud of my voting record to create more housing, while acknowledging much more needs to be done. We need a variety of different types of housing, to serve the needs of California’s different families, and different solutions to create them. Addressing California’s statewide housing crises is simply too important to do anything less.
Joseph Rocha

California State Assembly District 76

Joseph Rocha

Housing insecurity is one of the, if not the biggest, issue facing San Diego County. We must treat this issue like the epidemic that it is. The best way to address the housing crisis and the epidemic of homelessness is to make sure our neighbors don’t end up in a situation where they have to decide between paying for rent or groceries. When I’m elected, I will support legislation to increase the availability of affordable housing and cut the red tape that gets in the way of smart housing solutions. I am proud to be a labor candidate and stand with the workers who want to get to work building more homes in California. We also need effective and enforceable rent control to put an end to the rent price gouging that runs families out of their homes and onto the streets.
Chris+Ward+4

California State Assembly District 78

Chris Ward

Assemblymember Ward has led the way on housing in his time in the Assembly. He was recently named the Chair of the Assembly Housing Committee where he will continue to bring his forward-thinking vision of housing abundance to the California Assembly

Colin Parent

California State Assembly District 79

Colin Parent

Colin Parent has long been a housing champion, working on state-wide housing policy for the last decade, responsible for creating the 50% density bonus, and sponsoring its extension statewide. He has worked locally and statewide to bring more homes to California, and is endorsed by the likes of State Senator Scott Wiener as well as other pro-housing organizations in San Diego and statewide

David Alvarez

California State Assembly District 80

David Alvarez

Assemblymember Alvarez has gotten to work quickly in the Assembly to address the housing shortage, including carrying important priority YIMBY bills in the last session like Assembly Bill 1287. We look forward to him continuing to tackle our housing shortage head-on with more great bills in future sessions.

California State Senate

Jesse Arreguín

California State Senate District 7

Jesse Arreguín

"I can't sit back and see more people being priced out of my city, more people experiencing homelessness, and say that the status quo is working. It's not working. The rise in homelessness that we're seeing in Berkeley and the Bay Area is a direct result of our housing crisis. The fact that we do not have available and affordable housing is literally pushing people out onto the streets and pushing people out of our state. It's just wrong. We have a moral obligation to guarantee housing for all people. I do believe that housing is a human right."
Endorsing chapters
  • East Bay YIMBY
scott-wiener-1

CA State Senate District 11

Scott Wiener

Scott Wiener continues to be an exemplary leader on housing. He has passed numerous bills in the recent session, including SB423, extending and expanding upon one of the most productive affordable housing bills of the past decade, SB35, as well as SB4 (YIGBY), which will allow for affordable housing on religious properties, opening up tens of thousands of acres for new housing. We are also now seeing the dividends of his early work to strengthen state law and put teeth into the RHNA process by strengthening the Housing Element process, meaning jurisdictions all over California have to build the housing they say they will or face consequences from the state.

Endorsing chapters
  • San Francisco YIMBY
  • Peninsula for Everyone
Sasha Renée Pérez

California State Senate District 25

Sasha Renée Pérez

“California is in the midst of a housing crisis, and we all need to work together to solve it. I will continue to make sure that all levels of government work together and use every resource we have to improve access to stable housing, build more affordable housing, and ensure that working families can afford to live where they work.”

California Congressional

Julie-Lythcott-Haims

California's 16th Congressional District

Julie Lythcott-Haims

Julie Lythcott-Haims has been a been a strong voice for housing, calling it one of the social justice issues of our days, as a community leader in Santa Clara County and as a member of council in Palo Alto. As a Palo Alto councilmember, Julie has worked to raise height limits, increase density and FAR in some neighborhoods, and expanded the city's safe parking program. As a member of Congress, Julie will fight for legislation that advances the housing/transit/climate nexus, expands housing vouchers, and increases the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program.

Endorsing chapters
  • South Bay YIMBY
  • Peninsula for Everyone
Robert Garcia

California Congressional District 42

Robert Garcia

Congressman Garcia has quickly established himself as a leading voice on national housing legislation and ideas in his first session in Congress as the sponsor of the People Over Parking Act, prioritizing the radical idea that we should spend more energy on housing for people instead of cars. As the YIMBY caucus grows in Congress, he will continue to lead on this crucial issue of national importance

Want to vote on our endorsements?

Official members are eligible to vote in our endorsements process, influencing the positions we take during elections.