SAN DIEGO – The No on A coalition announced that based on a clear trend in ballot returns from the March 3 Primary Election, Measure A has been defeated – capping a tough opposition campaign that faced long odds. As of March 9, 51.44% of votes cast were “No” on A, according to the San Diego County Registrar of Voters.
“Voters understood Measure A would not do what it promised, that it was riddled with loopholes, and that it would force more San Diegans to pay more for homes and apartments in the midst of our housing affordability crisis. They also understood Measure A was funded by out-of-town billionaires to keep affordable homes and apartments away from their $10,000-a-week hotel located along the I-15 growth and transit corridor,” No on A campaign manager Tony Manolatos said.
Manolatos continued: “I’m extremely proud of everyone who worked on this campaign. The leadership at the top from the BIA and the REALTORS® was tremendous. They supported the team every step of the way, and we had a fantastic team that built a remarkable coalition and ran an impressive campaign. So many people deserve so much credit for this win. We did not just defeat a ballot measure that would have set our region back decades. We also created a movement that I expect will help us dig out of our housing crisis. It’s important to keep working together on solutions to provide more affordable homes and apartments for all San Diegans.”
Measure A was intended to block affordable housing. It would have forced a countywide vote of 1.6 million voters to add as few as 6 homes to the County General Plan. Just about everyone opposed it, including the San Diego County Democratic Party AND the Republican Party of San Diego County. With Measure A being put forward during a record housing affordability crisis, it seemed obvious that it was bad public policy – but its defeat was by no means assured. Polling showed the measure was likely to be approved by voters because of the deceptive ballot language.
“This was a tough uphill battle all the way, but the NO on A campaign never relented. They did so many things right on a limited budget. Competitive Edge is proud to have provided research to the No on A campaign team,” said John Nienstedt, President of Competitive Edge Research & Communication.
The No on A campaign raised and spent about $1.6 million, which is not a large sum when you consider the campaign had to talk to 1.8 million voters. Manolatos Nelson Murphy Advertising & Public Relations managed the campaign for the BIA and the REALTORS®.
“The campaign against Measure A provided a new opportunity for our industry to engage with labor interests, as well as affordable housing and social-justice advocates and others, and find common ground in our efforts to provide housing choices for San Diegans at all income levels,” said Borre Winckel, President and CEO of the Building Industry Association of San Diego. “A coalition of unprecedented diversity and strength came together to defeat this bad public policy – and we are just getting started. Our efforts will continue as we fight for the homes our region desperately needs. We are grateful that people of passion and conviction throughout our region raised their voices in support of the cause, recognizing that we need to remove obstacles to housing and ensure that working people and the next generation of San Diegans can afford to live here
Taylor Thompson, Director of Government Affairs, North San Diego County Association of REALTORS® said: “The defeat of Measure A represents a victory for private property rights, homeownership and our system of representative government, where projects are considered after undergoing an exhaustive process of traffic, economic, environmental, zoning and air quality studies, public input and a deliberative process by those we elect to make land use decisions. That is as it should be. Placing the burden of complex land use decisions to public vote is costly and the outcome is based entirely on emotions rather than good land use policy.”
The No on A campaign team included:
- Borre Winckel, Building Industry Association of San Diego County
- Matt Adams, Building Industry Association of San Diego County
- Angeli Calinog, Building Industry Association of San Diego County
- Ernie Cowan, North San Diego County Association of REALTORS®
- Tracy Morgan Hollingworth, Pacific Southwest Association of REALTORS®
- Ryan Maxson, Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS®
- Tony Manolatos, No on A Campaign Manager, Manolatos Nelson Murphy
- Tanya Castaneda, No on A Communications Director, Manolatos Nelson Murphy
- Kelly Murphy Lamkin, Manolatos Nelson Murphy
- Bob Nelson, Manolatos Nelson Murphy
- Dike Anyiwo, Manolatos Nelson Murphy
- Steven Kenyon, Manolatos Nelson Murphy
- Becky Karp, Manolatos Nelson Murphy
- Isaiah Mello, Manolatos Nelson Murphy
- Jesus Cardenas, Grassroots Resources
- John Hoy, John Hoy Campaigns
- Juan Hernandez, IVC Media
- Kendall Shain, IVC Media
- Anthony Astolfi, IVC Media
- John Nienstedt, Competitive Edge Research & Communication
- Jenny Holland, Competitive Edge Research & Communication
- John Wainio, The San Diego Group
- Mathias B. Tucunduva, The San Diego Group
- Lani Lutar, Responsible Solutions
- Albin J. Soares, Golden State Consultants
- J. Zane, Dovetail Partners
- William Baber, Campaign Treasurer
- James R. Sutton, Esq., The Sutton Law Firm
- Chris Brown, Alchemy Consulting Group
- Whitney Hodges, Sheppard Mullin
- Jeffrey Forrest, Sheppard Mullin
- Rich Volker, Save Our Rural Economy
- Gary London, Economist
Campaign partners included:
- Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS®
- North San Diego County Association of REALTORS®
- Pacific Southwest Association of REALTORS®
- San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce
- CAL FIRE Local 2881
- Deputy Sheriffs Association of San Diego
- San Diego Police Officers Association
- San Diego Housing Federation
- San Diego County Taxpayers Association
- San Diego Farm Bureau
- …and numerous other partners.
The team also wishes to recognize and thank Bill Ostrem, Lennar Homes; David Kovach, Kovach Group of Companies; and Ann Moore, Norton Moore & Adams; as well as Ricardo Flores of LISC San Diego, Melinda Vásquez, and Parisa Ijadi-Maghsoodi for their assistance and guidance, as well as San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, Chula Vista Mayor Mary Casillas Salas and County Supervisors Nathan Fletcher, Greg Cox, Jim Desmond and Kristin Gaspar.
Special thanks to Will Rodriguez-Kennedy, Chair of the San Diego County Democratic Party, and Tony Krvaric, Chair of the Republican Party of San Diego County. The campaign team also wishes to recognize labor groups for their support including the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters; LiUNA! Local 89, with special thanks to Business Manager Valentine Macedo and Policy & Community Engagement Director Kelvin Barrios; and the United Association of Plumbers, Steamfitters, Refrigeration & HVAC Service Technicians Local Union 230, with special thanks to Political Organizer Bernadette Butkiewicz.
MEDIA CONTACT: Tanya Castaneda | 619.764.9874 | [email protected]
