Three weeks before the November 3 election, residents of California Assembly District 68, which includes Santa Ana, Orange, and Anaheim have already received several anti-Jessie Lopez mailers claiming she does not support low-income housing or housing in general. Upon closer observation, these mailers were sent by corporate landlords from the California Apartment Association, California Association of REALTORS, and California Building Industry Association.
California’s housing debate isn’t just about who can afford a home, it’s also about who has the money and influence to shape housing policy. Two major players are the California Apartment Association (CAA) and the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.), powerful real estate industry organizations that spend millions of dollars to influence elections and ballot measures.
Their political activity has been particularly visible in the fight over rent control. In 2024, CAA sponsored the campaign opposing Proposition 33, which would have expanded local governments’ authority to enact rent control. C.A.R. also helped fund the opposition, reporting a $22 million contribution from its Issues Mobilization PAC to the campaign opposing the measure. https://www.sos.ca.gov/campaign-lobbying/helpful-resources/measure-contributions/2024-ballot-measure-contribution-totals/proposition-33-expands-local-governments-authority-enact-rent-control-residential-property-initiative-statute https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/10/california-rent-control-propositions-campaign-money/
Beyond ballot measures, these organizations use political action committees and independent expenditures to support candidates and policies aligned with real estate industry priorities. CAA’s independent expenditure committee explicitly campaigns for candidates who support the rental housing industry, while C.A.R. funds candidates and political causes that align with its policy goals. https://caanet.org/landing/independent-expenditure-committee/ https://www.car.org/aboutus/ourleadership/ouradvocacy
Why does this matter to renters? Decisions about rent control, eviction protections, and other tenant safeguards directly affect housing stability and affordability. When well-funded industry groups invest heavily in elections and policy campaigns, voters deserve to know whose interests are being represented—and how campaign spending may shape the choices available to California communities.
Understanding who funds political campaigns is an important step toward holding elected officials accountable and building a housing system that works for the people who call California home. Jessie Lopez helped champion and pass Santa Ana’s rent control and tenant protection measures, including the use of algorithms to artificially set rent fees.
Opponent David Penaloza voted against Santa Ana’s rent control measures and his State Assembly campaign has received a maximum donation from the California Apartment Association and California Real Estate PAC:
Remember to check the bottom of mailers, TV commercials, and digital ads to see exactly who is funding them!
