June 26, 2020

Dear Jim,

Today, the California State Legislature passed a strong bipartisan measure (Assembly Constitutional Amendment 11) co-sponsored by the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) and the California Professional Firefighters that is poised to be placed on the November ballot. This new ballot initiative is known as “The Home Protection for Seniors, Severely Disabled, Families, and Victims of Wildfire or Natural Disasters Act” (ACA 11).

This is great news as it builds on C.A.R.’s original initiative, strengthening the provisions we care most about and incorporates dedicated funding for fire protection and emergency response to safeguard millions of lives in communities across the state. The new initiative will continue to expand Proposition 13 property tax portability for all homeowners over 55 years old, people with severe disabilities, and wildfire victims by removing unfair location and cost restrictions to allow homeowners to move anywhere in the state. In addition, it will open up housing inventory throughout California, creating home ownership opportunities for first-time homebuyers.

This legislative solution passed through the California State Legislature with two-thirds support in the State Assembly and State Senate with strong bipartisan support. Together, C.A.R. and the California Professional Firefighters built an unprecedented broad and diverse coalition including local elected officials, business groups, labor, agriculture, Republicans and Democrats. Some of the supporters include the California Farm Bureau, California Fresh Fruit Association, California Forestry Association, California Business Roundtable, California Building Industry Association, California Business Properties Association, California Cattlemen’s Association, as well as wildfire victims, local elected officials, school officials, and senior groups.

This updated initiative generates hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue for local governments and school districts without raising property tax rates. It also creates a historic dedicated Fire Response Fund providing needed revenue to help protect millions of homes and lives across the state, including dedicated revenue for historically underfunded fire districts in rural and urban communities.

In addition, the initiative will provide added tax relief for California’s family-owned farms and ranches. The additional tax savings for a farmer or rancher will help protect generational farming.

Lastly, the initiative continues to constitutionally protect the right for parents and grandparents to pass the family home to their children and grandchildren so they can afford to live in the home as intended by Propositions 58 and 193. Since family transfer benefits have been under attack and face potential elimination, this initiative protects family homes for Californians.

The next step is for Governor Newsom to sign legislation in the next few days that will officially place ACA 11 on the ballot.

We are in an even stronger position to pass this important initiative that will improve housing affordability, benefit communities, and all Californians. I appreciate your support. Our team will be providing you with updates soon on how to get involved.

Sincerely,

Jeanne Radsick, C.A.R. President

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I need to keep the tax initiatives straight – this one allows seniors to buy a home in any California county and take their previous property-tax basis with them (called ‘property tax portability’).  If seniors buy down in price, then the previous taxation applies.  If a senior buys UP in price, there is a formula here at 2B:

(2) For purposes of this subdivision:

(A) For any transfer of taxable value to a replacement primary residence of equal or lesser value than the original primary residence, the taxable value of the replacement primary residence shall be deemed to be the taxable value of the original primary residence.

(B) For any transfer of taxable value to a replacement primary residence of greater value than the original primary residence, the taxable value of the replacement primary residence shall be calculated by adding the difference between the full cash value of the original primary residence and the full cash value of the replacement primary residence to the taxable value of the original primary residence.

(3) An owner of a primary residence who is over 55 years of age or severely disabled shall not be allowed to transfer the taxable value of a primary residence more than three times pursuant to this subdivision.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200ACA11

I still think they are wildly optimistic that it will generate ‘hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue’.