UC employee home loan measure becomes first certified for California's 2028 ballot
An initiative creating a first-time homebuyer down payment loan program for University of California employees has qualified for the state's 2028 ballot. It is the first citizen initiative certified for California's 2028 ballot, after officials validated 947,631 signatures. The measure, backed by AFSCME 3299, would offer loans worth 20% of a home's value to eligible UC workers with at least five years of service.
The proposal, backed by AFSCME 3299, would fund down-payment loans covering one-fifth of a home’s value for UC employees who are first-time buyers and have served at least five years. California’s secretary of state confirmed on Oct. 2 that it had qualified after 947,631 valid signatures were verified.
It is the only citizen-driven measure certified for 2028 nationwide so far. California’s 2028 ballot also has two legislative referrals, and six statewide measures are certified across California, Connecticut, Hawaii, and Illinois. Citizen initiatives may be withdrawn until June 29, 2028.
If enacted, the loan program may ease down-payment barriers for eligible UC employees with long service, potentially improving homeownership access for some workers. It could also shape fiscal considerations for the UC system and state housing policy, depending on take-up and loan terms. Because it is a 2028 ballot measure, its broader effects remain uncertain and would depend on voter approval and implementation.