League of Women Voters of Berkeley, Albany & Emeryville
Statement on Measure U1 and the Berkeley City 2027–2028 Budget

June 22, 2026

The League of Women Voters of Berkeley, Albany & Emeryville urges the Berkeley City Council to honor the purpose of Measure U1, a measure the League supported and campaigned for in 2016, as Council  finalizes the 2027–2028 budget.

In 2016, 74.93% of Berkeley voters approved Measure U1, which represents overwhelming support for affordable housing and homeless services. That vote was a clear mandate . When a community taxes itself for a stated purpose, the integrity of the democratic process depends on those funds being used as voters intended.

We are therefore concerned by a budget proposal that would redirect Measure U1 revenue to cover unallocated general-fund positions and eliminate funding for the Small Sites program. The Housing Advisory Commission, the body charged with advising Council on these decisions, recommended a $5 million allocation to Small Sites. Small Sites is a proven anti-displacement tool: it allows the City to preserve existing affordable units and keep longtime residents — often seniors and lower-income families — in their homes. Redirecting U1 funds away from this purpose counters the voters’ mandate.

Three  principles guide our concern:

Voter intent. Dedicated funding should be spent on the purpose voters approved.

Transparency and accountability. Significant departures from a measure’s stated purpose, and from the recommendations of the City’s own advisory commissions, deserve full public deliberation rather than late-stage budget maneuvers.

The Overwhelming Need for Affordable Housing.

The longstanding need for affordable housing in our city has been demonstrated in countless ways, with too many residents driven out of our community or rendered homeless. Any efforts that thwart the goal of making Berkeley affordable for its residents, and sidestepping the will of the voters, should be strictly avoided.

The League takes no position on individual officeholders. We ask only that Council uphold the commitment Berkeley voters made in 2016 and fund affordable housing and anti-displacement programs as Measure U1 intended.

Sincerely, Co-Presidents,
Sharon Goldfarb & Kandea Gandhi