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Measure JJJ: Angelenos overwhelmingly support affordable housing mandate

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The measure has local hiring provisions, too

A proposal aimed at hiring local workers and bringing more affordable housing to the city of Los Angeles has passed after winning overwhelming support from nearly two-thirds of voters.

Measure JJJ aims to create more affordable housing by requiring developers to designate a certain percentage of condos and apartments in new residential buildings for low-income tenants. The mandate would apply to buildings that need special city approval or zoning changes to get built, typically because they’re bigger than what codes allow. It will also help local union members get work from the Los Angeles development boom by mandating that developers hire them—and pay them higher wages.

Measure JJJ was the result of an effort by unions and a variety of community groups, such as the Alliance for Community Transit-Los Angeles (ACT-LA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union 11.

But while numerous housing advocacy groups backed Measure JJJ, support had not been universal among advocates for affordable housing, and the Los Angeles Times opposed the proposal. Still, JJJ’s win was significant: Nearly 64 percent of voters were in favor of the measure.