Sacramento, CA – Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed AB 1840—a bill that would have prohibited disqualification of applicants from a California Housing Finance Agency’s home purchase assistance program based solely on immigration status.
“Given the finite funding available for CalHFA programs, expanding program eligibility must be carefully considered within the broader context of the annual state budget to ensure we manage our resources effectively,” the Governor said in his veto message.
The program provides 20 percent in down payment assistance to first-generation homebuyers who meet CalHFA income limits.
The bill, authored by Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula, would provide undocumented immigrants with taxpayer ID numbers or Social Security numbers with eligibility for up to $150,000 in down payment assistance.
“I’m deeply disappointed that Gov. Newsom today vetoed AB 1840,” Assemblymember Arambula said in a statement Friday. “The veto doesn’t change the fact that many people — including undocumented immigrants — dream of owning a home so that generational wealth can be passed to their children.”
Last year, there were 18,000 people who applied for the program, with 1,700 ultimately chosen. This would increase the number of people who are not automatically excluded from the program.
“We simply wanted to be as inclusive as possible within our policies so that all who are paying taxes here in our state were able to qualify,” Assemblymember Arambula told POLITICO. “Without the intentional law that we are introducing, we felt that there were complexities and questions that many in the immigrant community would have.”
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), the largest immigrant rights organization in California, expressed disappointment to Governor Newsom’s veto.
“Vetoing AB 1840 is the wrong call,” said Angelica Salas, CHIRLA Executive Director. “When we talk about housing equity, we can’t leave our undocumented community behind. Excluding Californians from housing programs undermines the California promise that if you work hard, you can own a home.”
Salas added, “California is strong when we expand opportunity to all who call this state their home. In California, undocumented families contribute 8.5 Billion dollars to the state coffers. Immigrants make California thrive.”
Cynthia Gomez, Deputy Director of State Policy and Advocacy, CHIRLA, explained, “AB 1840 is simply about ensuring immigration status isn’t a barrier in home ownership. Everyone deserves the equal opportunity to own a home.
“Undocumented immigrants enrich our communities culturally, socially, and fiscally through their tax contributions. This bill is about equity and we will continue to work hard until every Californian has an equal shot at prosperity.”
Recently Newsom has been coming to his senses not only on this but several other issues. Is this just a head fake because of the coming election and once it’s over he goes back to being his same old self, a far left liberal?
The only way Newsom appears a “far left liberal” is to someone who is sitting just a bit to the left of Franco or Mussolini.
Learn about the Overton Window. Your claim is ridiculous.