Election 2016: Prop M
Here's what you need to know to decide how to vote on San Francisco's Proposition M.
ICYMI: the 2016 election will be held on Tuesday, November 8, with early voting kicking off at San Francisco’s City Hall on Tuesday, October 11.
In addition to voting for officials at the local, state, and national level, San Franciscans will face a decision on 17 state ballot initiatives and 25 local propositions.
Not sure how to vote on Proposition M? We hope the brief voter guide below will help you decide!
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What Is Prop M?
Prop M would establish the Housing and Development Commission to oversee two new departments — the Department of Economic and Workforce Development and the Department of Housing and Community Development.
These new departments would take over the duties of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development and the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, which would no longer exist.
Who Supports Prop M?
Key supporters of Proposition M include: the San Francisco Democratic Party and Supervisors Aaron Peskin, Jane Kim, John Avalos, and Norman Yee.
As explained by the San Francisco Examiner:
“Currently, there is no real transparency or oversight of the two powerful but largely obscure city agencies responsible for building affordable housing and making sure The City gets the best deal in development agreements with developers.
“Prop. M would establish an independent commission responsible for letting the sun shine in on the Offices of Housing and Economic Development so people can see how they are doing the public’s business.”
Who Opposes Prop M?
Key opponents of Prop M include: U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, who served as the Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988.
Opponents argue that Prop M is unnecessary because there is already sufficient oversight and accountability in place for the Office of Economic and Workforce Development and Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development.
Moreover, opponents argue that the proposition would only serve to add additional layers of red tape, increase government costs, and make it more difficult to implement programs and services to build affordable housing and help small businesses.
Learn More about Prop M
To learn more, read the full text of Proposition M.
