California's Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom is expected to decide soon whether to sign a bill passed by the state legislature on Wednesday that would give some undocumented immigrants in California access to large amounts of cash assistance to buy homes, according to Politico.
Under AB 1840, any undocumented immigrant with a Social Security or taxpayer identification number would be eligible for a program called California Dream for All, which would give first-time homebuyers up to $150,000, with recipients only having to pay interest if they sell the property. ReportedNewsom declined to comment on whether he would sign the bill after some moderate Democrats in the California Senate joined with Republicans to block the bill.
Sen. Scott Wiener, D-Calif., said Tuesday that undocumented immigrants who qualify for aid under the law “are exactly the type of people we want in our communities.” According to California State Senate Proceedings. (Related story: Democrats' housing war intensifies after San Francisco is forced to hand over more building permits)
“These are people who work and pay taxes, and of course they should be able to buy a home,” Wiener said. “They should be included in this program.”
But Republicans who oppose the bill argue that states' limited resources should be given to Americans in need, Politico reported.
“There are people in California who are not illegal immigrants but who need these services,” Republican state Sen. Brian Dahl said Tuesday. According to “We should deal with them first before we let it escalate,” according to the California Senate minutes.
California Governor Gavin Newsom. (Photo by Bill Pagliano/Getty Images)
Subsidizing housing without significantly increasing the supply of housing can raise prices for everyone else, economists say. said ABC News.
During his 2017 campaign, Governor Newsom pledged to address the state's housing shortage by building 3.5 million new homes by 2035, but between 2019, when he took office, and the beginning of 2024, the state's net housing supply has increased by only about 600,000 units.
“If you have $25,000 more to spend on a home, you're going to bid up to $25,000 more,” Michael Jones, an economics professor at the University of Cincinnati, told ABC News, referring to Vice President Kamala Harris' proposed policy of giving cash grants to first-time homebuyers. “This policy in particular is a bad idea because it doesn't make homes more affordable.”
According to the Associated Press, Governor Newsom has indicated he intends to veto parts of legislation passed by the state's Democratic lawmakers, vetoing a bill in September 2023 that would require judges to consider parents' claims about their child's gender identity in custody battles. ReportedHe also vetoed bills that would have allowed marijuana dealers to sell edibles and decriminalized hallucinogens. According to To governance.
Governor Newsom has until September 30 to decide whether to sign or veto the bill, according to the Associated Press.
The California governor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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