Assemblymember Alex Lee Introduces Social Housing Bond

Assemblymember Alex Lee introduced the Social Housing Bond Act to build publicly developed and owned, mixed-income housing for Californians. AB 590 will place a bond measure on the November 2026 ballot to provide $950 million in funding dedicated to creating social housing in California. 

“Social housing is a proven solution to ending housing shortages,” said Assemblymember Lee. “The Social Housing Bond Act will provide the financing we need to embrace social housing at scale in California. It’s time for us to invest in a solution that can make housing attainable for all.” 

Assemblymember Lee’s proposal comes at the heels of Seattle’s vote on a social housing funding measure. Voters are expected to pass the measure that is estimated to raise $50 million annually for the construction of social housing in Seattle. It follows a ballot initiative approved by voters in the 2023 election to create the Seattle Social Housing Developer. 

“It’s inspiring to see the grassroots support for social housing in Seattle. Voters see the value in embracing social housing as a public good,” said Assemblymember Lee. “Our coalition of support is growing, and I’ll keep fighting to push this successful housing policy forward in California. As we’ve seen in Vienna and Singapore, social housing can actualize housing as a human right.”

Roughly 80% of Singaporeans live in social housing, and 75% of the Viennese population qualify for social housing. Both places have successfully housed their population en masse via publicly developed, mixed-income homes. This strategy fosters economic opportunities, while preserving affordability in the community. 

AB 590 builds on Assemblymember Lee’s commitment to tackling the housing crisis in California. He recently introduced legislation to establish a state authority with the goal of developing social housing. In 2021, he was the first California state legislator to propose social housing legislation. A similar mixed-income model has been successfully used in other developments in California, including CADA in Sacramento. States like Hawaii and localities such as Montgomery County, Maryland have developed their own social housing policies. Federal lawmakers have also proposed legislation with the potential to build over 1.25 million social housing units. Stakeholders like the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development and the Sanders Institute have engaged in the issue to explore social housing as a solution to the national housing crisis.