DISTRICT 4 Press Releases

Council Adopts Motion from Councilmembers Raman and Hernandez to Develop Implementation Plan for ULA

For Immediate Release: February 22, 2022

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COUNCIL ADOPTS MOTION FROM COUNCILMEMBERS RAMAN AND HERNANDEZ TO DEVELOP IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR MEASURE ULA

LOS ANGELES — Yesterday, Council voted to adopt a motion from Councilmembers Nithya Raman and Eunisses Hernandez to develop an implementation plan for Measure ULA, or United to House LA. Measure ULA was approved on the November 2022 California ballot and establishes, funds, and authorizes programs to increase permanent supportive and affordable housing stock and to provide resources to tenants at risk of homelessness through a 4% tax on sales/transfers of real property exceeding $5 million and through a 5.5% tax on sales/transfers of real properties of $10 million or more, with exceptions. 

“It is imperative that we act with urgency to implement Measure ULA, which is expected to generate approximately $600 million to $1.1 billion annually – the largest source of revenue for these programs to date,” said Councilmember Raman. “This is truly the first housing initiative of its kind anywhere in the United States that will have such a widespread, immediate, and long-term impact on the housing and homelessness crisis.”

“We are in the midst of a crisis with more than 40,000 people living unhoused in our City, and thousands more at risk of joining them unless we move forward with holistic housing-first solutions,” said Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez. “The voters have spoken and overwhelmingly voted in favor of Measure ULA. This motion honors the will of the people by ensuring that we make the most of this unprecedented revenue stream to keep vulnerable renters housed and build the affordable housing stock that we so desperately need.”

 “Voters overwhelmingly passed Measure ULA because they demanded solutions to Los Angeles’ housing affordability and homelessness crisis—solutions that come from LA’s housing and homelessness organizations, who do this work every day and are experts at what they do,” said Laura Raymond, Director of ACT-LA and Co-Chair Yes on Measure ULA. “With the expiration of LA’s COVID-19 renter protections, we must act quickly to protect renters and prevent a future eviction-to-homelessness pipeline from occurring. We look forward to continuing to work with the City to ensure that Angelenos see the solutions promised in Measure ULA enacted in their neighborhoods as soon as possible.” 

Raman and Hernandez’s motion instructs the Los Angeles Housing Department, with assistance from the City Administrative Officer, the City Attorney’s Office, the Department of Finance, and any other relevant departments, to report back within 15 days on the implementation of Measure ULA, including: 

  1. Foundational guidelines and resources needed to effectively implement Measure ULA
  2. Strategies for continued consultation with community-based organizations, advocacy groups, and experts in the field, including the authors of the ballot measure; and
  3. Plans to begin collecting ULA revenue beginning April 1, 2023.

The motion also requires a plan to be drawn up for for the expenditure of up to $500,000 to establish the House LA Fund and House LA Program, prior to April 1, 2023 as well as identify any existing City, County, State, or federal funds—including the City’s General Fund and Reserve Fund—that could be utilized to effectively and expeditiously support rent relief, homelessness prevention, and affordable housing programs prior to Measure ULA revenue becoming available.

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