For Immediate Release
Contact: John Myers
john.myers@calchamber.com | press@calchamber.com
Ballot measure will lower housing, energy, water, and other everyday costs, heading to voters this November with support from 125+ organizations across California
Sacramento, CA (June 17, 2026)— The Building an Affordable California Act (Affordable CA) has officially qualified for the November 2026 statewide ballot, a major step toward lowering California’s cost of living by building the essential projects communities need faster and more affordably.
California voters consistently rank affordability and the high cost of living among their top concerns. Affordable CA offers a practical solution by cutting the bureaucratic delays that drive up rents and home purchase prices, water and electricity bills, healthcare expenses, and make other essentials more expensive.
“California voters have a clear choice: continue to bear the heavy costs of delay and red tape or embrace a solution that lowers costs and improves quality of life,” said CalChamber President & CEO Jennifer Barrera. “For too long, Californians have been led to believe that sky-high housing and electricity costs, crumbling infrastructure, and endless delays are inevitable. But voters know better. Delays drive up the cost of everyday essentials and families pay the price. If we’re serious about lowering the cost of living, we must be just as serious about building the housing and infrastructure projects that Californians need. We are confident voters will pass Affordable CA this November and choose a more affordable future.”
Affordable CA modernizes California’s decades-old project approval process by establishing clear timelines and a faster, more predictable process for legal review—cutting, in some cases, as much as a decade off project timelines while maintaining California’s strong environmental protections.
“Building clean energy faster means lower bills, cleaner air, and more reliable power,” said Alex Jackson, Executive Director, American Clean Power – California. “The Building an Affordable California Act delivers real benefits for Californians while keeping the state on track to meet its climate goals.”
“Delivering safe, reliable, and affordable water doesn’t happen by accident—it requires timely investment in the infrastructure that communities depend on every day,” said Jennifer Capitolo, Executive Director of the California Water Association. “When critical projects are delayed for years, the consequences result in higher costs and added strain on the systems people rely on. Affordable CA will help streamline water projects so essential water investments can move forward with the urgency and accountability Californians need and deserve, while keeping costs down for customers.”
“High costs disproportionately harm Black & Brown families and communities of color. By accelerating essential infrastructure, the Building an Affordable California Act helps lower costs and make sure communities get the basic services they deserve,” said Rick Callender, President, NAACP California/Hawaii State Conference.
“California’s housing affordability crisis is being made worse by seemingly never-ending delays,” said Jenna Abbott, Executive Director of the California Council for Affordable Housing. “When affordable housing takes years to approve, costs rise, financing becomes harder to secure, and fewer homes get built. Affordable CA will help create a clearer, faster path to delivering the affordable housing Californians urgently need.”
Momentum behind Affordable CA has created a coalition of 125+ organizations—including advocates of affordable housing, clean energy, water, agricultural groups, and business leaders—united behind the need to deliver essential projects faster and more affordably.
Affordable CA is expected to receive formal certification from the Secretary of State on June 25.
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BACKGROUND: The Building an Affordable California Act modernizes California’s project approval and permitting process for essential projects—including housing, water infrastructure, clean energy, transportation infrastructure, hospitals and health care facilities, schools and educational facilities, broadband, and wildfire prevention and resilience projects—by establishing clear timelines, improving accountability, and reducing unnecessary delays, while preserving strong environmental, labor, and tribal cultural resource protections.
Learn More: BuildAffordableCA.com
Ad paid for by Committee to Build an Affordable California, Sponsored by the California Chamber of Commerce. Ad Committee’s Top Funders:
Building a Better California
Edison International & Affiliated Entities
California Building Industry Association
Funding details at www.fppc.ca.gov
