Alameda County's Measure W money will finally aid housing construction after years of delays

"I was hoping that the money would be released sooner than what we're seeing. We really don't have time to wait. We've got to move with some urgency here. We have a crisis on the streets. We need to move quickly."

"Voters approved Measure W, a half-cent general sales tax, in November 2020. It was projected to raise $1.8 billion over 10 years. The board decided last year that 80% of the money would be allocated specifically to homeless services, while the other 20% would be for other social services such as food security and health care."

"The association alleged that Measure W was written as a 'special tax' to specifically support housing and homelessness, so it required a two-thirds majority to pass. Because of the lawsuit, the county held the taxes in escrow. When a judge ruled in 2025 the measure was a general tax that the Board of Supervisors could use at their discretion, more than $800 million sat in the fund."

Alameda County voters approved Measure W, a half-cent sales tax, in November 2020 to fund homelessness services and housing developments, projected to raise $1.8 billion over ten years. The county began collecting revenue in 2021 but faced a lawsuit from the Alameda County Taxpayers Association challenging whether the measure required a two-thirds majority vote. The association argued Measure W was a special tax for specific purposes, not a general tax. A judge ruled in 2025 that it was indeed a general tax, allowing fund distribution. Despite collecting nearly $1 billion, over $700 million remains unspent. The Board of Supervisors plans to allocate $53 million to affordable housing projects, though developers must compete for state funding first. County officials acknowledge the distribution pace has been too slow given the ongoing homelessness crisis.

Read at The Mercury News