Ask any student in Westwood what keeps them up at night, and the cost of housing will likely rank at the top of their list.

The rent that jumps every time the lease renews. The high school friend who moved out of state because a paycheck here barely covered the rent and nothing more. The parent on a fixed income who is one increase away from leaving the neighborhood where she has lived for 40 years, or worse – one financial emergency away from living on the street.

California has one of the nation’s worst housing affordability crises. In the second quarter of 2026, only 17% of households in Los Angeles could afford a median-priced home, and more than half of California renters spent over 30% of their income on rent in 2022. The longer we wait to build, the more it costs and the harder the problem becomes to solve. Just in LA County, which we call our home for the academic year, the median rent is about $2,000, according to the LA Times.

Proposition 1 will make historic investments in the right solution. The Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026 would fund the construction of affordable homes, expand homeownership and help our neighbors – all without a single new tax.

This proposition will invest a total of $11.25 billion in housing across California, including $350 million dedicated to affordable student housing at the UC and California State University. The funding is projected to make higher education more affordable for roughly 40,000 students over the next 50 years.

Students are not alone in experiencing high rates of housing instability. About 28% of the nation’s veterans experiencing homelessness live in California, and this measure dedicates funds specifically to housing affordability programs for veterans.

At the same time, the proposition would support the people who keep our communities running. Our teachers and professors, firefighters who protect our neighborhoods and nurses at our local hospitals can no longer afford to live in the communities they serve. Prop. 1 would build homes so a middle-class paycheck can once again buy a middle-class life.

Prop. 1 would create and preserve affordable homes for the people most at risk of losing theirs. For those already experiencing homelessness, it funds supportive housing that pairs a stable home with the services people need to get back on their feet – the proven way to move people off the streets for good.

Prop. 1 does all of this without raising taxes. The proposition would unlock federal matching funds, bringing tax dollars that Californians already send to Washington back to build more affordable housing.

And every dollar comes with strict financial accountability measures, including public reporting. Voters will be able to see exactly where homes are built, how much they cost and how many are constructed.

Join veterans, seniors, teachers, affordable housing advocates and more in voting Yes on Proposition 1 to build the homes California needs, honor veterans who served and give every Californian the opportunity to succeed.

Choose fiscal responsibility. Choose more affordable homes. Vote Yes on Proposition 1.

Kristian Suazo is a fourth-year political science and labor studies student. He is also the president of the UCLA chapter of the Student HOMES Coalition.